Next Generation: Black Baron
by hola skankola
Summary: The Teen Titans have moved on and the New Teen Titans are here. Get ready for their new foe, new relationships, new twists, and new...family ties? Let's just say someone on the team has a closer connection to Baron than they could ever imagine.
1. Of Training and Wagers

**FULL SUMMARY**: The first generation of the Teen Titans have moved on with their lives, and initiated six new members by the names of Kyle, Kimi, Taku, Danny, Sara, and Clara. The adults go through the stresses of steady jobs, wedding planning, childbirth, making choices, meddling sisters, meeting the in-laws, love affairs, and stifling the urge to rip their hair out. As all this goes on, the Teens and the heroes of the New Teen Titans are having their own problems as well; get ready for crushes, rejections, love triangles, sibling rivalry, tears, teenage angst, unexpected surprises, accidents, lies, parties, shadowy pasts, ghost stories, and Taku burning the Tofu.

**Pairings**: RobStar(Blackfire) BBRae(Terra) CyBeeJinx SaraKyleClara ClaraTaku KimiDanny and possibly others.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Teen Titans. I do own a kick-ass black shirt with the Teen Titans on it.

**A/N**: I hope you enjoy. This is expected (by me) to be much better than Moonfire. And I am so sorry if there are any typing errors in this chapter. It was thirteen pages and I am way too lazy to read over it all.

TT2 

Takes place the day after Moonfire ends

Kimi sat diligently on the couch, watching the ferocious battle roaring on between Danny and Taku. And by ferocious battle, she meant Mega Monkeys seven in the living room on the window-sized TV.

"You are so going down…Turner," Danny grunted, pressing repeatedly on his game controller.

"The fascination of video games played by guys. One thing I will never understand," Kimi groaned as she crossed her legs and rested them on the coffee table. Suddenly, her feet were surrounded in a white light and, of their own accord, fell back to the ground.

"Mantas Retinar," Sara chanted. "Keep your feet off that table," she told Kimi from behind, her hand outstretched and her eyes glowing yellowish-white before turning back to normal. "I just cleaned that."

Kimi rolled her eyes and smiled. "Sara, what time is it?"

"Eleven fifty-five. And Clara's still not up," Sara replied dryly.

"We have training in five minutes, so go wake her butt up," Kimi told her, turning around on the couch to rest her arm on the back and make eye contact with Sara. "Nice way to use your powers, by the way."

Sara smiled brightly and did a small curtsy as her sister came stumbling into the room. "Wake whose butt up?" She was dressed in a pair of black and red sleeping pants and a black wifebeater and had obviously just stumbled out of bed. She rubbed her eyes.

"Your butt!" her sister exclaimed. "Do you realize it's twelve; almost training time!"

"Wow. I actually hauled my ass out of bed before one? Sweet," Clara responded, grabbing a green apple from a bowl on the counter and taking a considerably large chunk out of it.

"Not sweet. We have training in…" Sara checked her watch as she trailed off. "Three minutes. Go get dressed."

Moonfire raised her eyebrows at Sara and hid a huge smile. "In case your wondering, she's always this anal retentive," Clara told her.

"Go!" Sara ordered, pointing her finger towards the door. Clara sighed and left the room. "The only time I can ever get her to listen to me is when I act anal-retentive," Sara told her. "Really, I'm not." A few moments silence. "What did I say about feet on the coffee table!"

Danny sighed as Sara did the same thing for him as she did for Kimi. "We better go get ready for training. Knowing Kyle, he's already down there."

The four shrugged and went to change into their uniforms to get ready for their first day of training.

At exactly twelve, the six met on the grounds where Cyborg had shown them to use the training course. The six sat up near the controls, each dressed in their uniforms.

Moonfire's uniform was her traditional Tamaranian uniform.

Danny's was a long-sleeved black spandex shirt, paired with cargo pants, a black belt and steel-toed shoes. On his hands was a pair of heavy-duty gloves, brown in color, but faded slightly to almost match his pants.

Kyle's get-up was a short-sleeved blue spandex shirt with a black 'H' emblazoned across the chest, with a black belt and blue pants. He, too, had black steel-toed shoes, and a pair of glossy black gloves. Kyle also had a mask that looked like wings across his face, pinched at the bridge of his nose and coming up to rest at his temples. As well, he had a black cape almost exactly like Robin's around his neck and resting just above the H on his shirt.

Sara was clothed in a white skirt with a silver belt slightly tilted around her waist, with a long white sleeved shirt with a silver 'S' glittering across her chest. Her shirt came down to her hands and hooked over her thumb, with an 'S' on the back of each hand. On her feet was a pair of silver ballet slippers. Sara had a silvery cape flowing just to her knees, her hood pushed down and a silver broach holding it together.

Clara was clothed contrary her sister. Her legs were covered in black spandex that went down to only mid-calf, with a dark purple skirt over said spandex. Her shirt was exactly like Sara's, except a 'C' instead of an 'S'. As well, her shirt was black and the letters were a same deep purple as her skirt. On her feet was a pair of black combat boots. Clara also wore a hooded dark purple cape resting on her shoulders and flowing behind her, coming down to her knees.

And Taku's outfit was the most interesting of all. He was clothed in a green spandex shirt that only went until the middle of his forearms. Beneath his shirt was a silver belt, and a pair of green spandex pants that only stretched to mid-calf. This was paired, weirdly enough, with a pair of silver steel-toed boots.

"Interesting outfit," Clara had noted when they all met.

"Hey, I need an outfit that can stretch like I can," he replied. As he finished saying this, he twisted his torso around three times and stopped to look back at Clara, before unraveling quickly. "Cool huh?"

Clara rolled her eyes. Taku smirked slightly, before stretching his arm over to Kimi to tap her shoulder. She turned around, to see a hand waving at her, but no owner. She cocked her head and furrowed her brow, but followed the arm to its owner. "Hi Taku!" she responded with a grin. "Weirdo."

He smiled back and laughed, withdrawing his arm.

"Ok, the Original Titans have made a course for each of us, specific to our powers. I wanted to run each of us through our own course, then do some more individual training up in the gym, and then do some strategy planning," Kyle told them, taking the head seat at the control box. Sara sat on one side of him, while Clara sat on the other, next to Taku. Kimi sat next to Sara, and on the end next to Kimi was Danny. "Let's see…Kimi, you want to go first?" Kyle asked. "Seeing as you, Danny, and I are the only ones with formal superhero training."

"I'd love to go first," Kimi replied jubilantly, bouncing up and pulling on her armbands. "I haven't used this specific training program yet…I've just trained in the gym with my mom. This is sure to be fun."

Kimi stood at the start line, cracking her neck and stretching her limbs. She then tested two starbolts and her eyebeams, her eyes continuing to glow midnight blue thereafter. "Moonfire's fight sequence initiated. Good luck Kimi! Three…two…one…GO!"

Suddenly, two machines rose from the ground and started spewing electric disks at her. She shot starbolt after starbolt, but they still kept coming. Kimi ran forward, still shooting starbolts, but accidentally missed one and was hit. Dazed and confused on the ground, her teammates began to worry.

"Do you want me to stop?" Kyle yelled.

"I'm fine!" Kimi yelled back, flying up and returning to her feet, before running between the two machines. They ended up blasting each other. Kimi smiled triumphantly as she ran forward.

Another machine shot up, spewing out three large round disks. They hovered in the air slightly, before beginning to shoot what looked like replicas of her starbolts at her. Kimi flitted around, avoiding each of the bolts. Kimi darted to the first one, sticking a hand in it and ripping out its mechanisms. It immediately fell to the ground, useless. Kimi then grabbed another disk and held it in front of her. The last disk threw one of its bolts at the disk in front of her, and it immediately made a small explosion and fell to the ground, also useless. Kimi then flew to the last one and ripped its mechanisms out as well. It was deemed useless.

"Yes!" Danny yelled, as the rest of her teammates cheered her on with garbled shouts. "Go Kimi!"

Kimi smiled to herself as she flew forward. Suddenly, a large metal cylinder sprung from the ground and hit Kimi as she was flying, directly in the gut. Moonfire groaned as she hit the hard, jagged ground and nursed her sore abdomen. Within moments, though, she had regained her senses and got back up, just as another cylinder popped up below her. She quickly flew up and dodged it, as well as dodging the six more that popped from the ground in her flight's path.

"Way to get up, Kimi!" Sara called, pumping her fist in the air. "C'mon, you can do it!"

Kimi touched down on the ground as her objective was in sight. Two machines popped from the ground again, each with two large metal tentacles. "Shit," she cursed as one of them wrapped around her. They each kept latching onto her, until she was completely covered.

Her team watched in awe as all of a sudden the tentacles began bulging outwards. Kimi was surrounded in a midnight blue light, her form merely a black silhouette in the middle of this ball of light, as the tentacles were severed from the machine and thrown every which way. Kimi left the machines steaming and useless.

She was panting, trying to catch her breath, as it had been denied her as the tentacles had crushed her lungs. Before long, Kimi was flying again for her target; the finish line. Within moments, Kimi had crossed the finish line.

"Yes! Go Kimi!" someone shouted as she hunched over and caught her breath, before wiping the sweat from her brow. Kimi smiled triumphantly as she bent back up, wrapping her arms around her bare stomach that was still sore from getting smacked. She deftly made her way towards the stands, where her teammates were still cheering her on.

"Way to be tough, Kim!" Taku told her with a toothy smile.

"Thanks man," Kimi groaned back as she took her seat next to Kyle and Danny, still nursing her stomach.

"One minute forty-nine seconds!" Kyle told her, as Kimi smiled softly.

"You ok, Moon?" Danny asked, lightly taking her hand and pulling her arm off of her gut. Kimi hissed in pain as Danny lightly ran his fingers over it. "Damn. You already have a nice bruise shining." Kimi hissed again as Danny lightly applied pressure. "We should probably get some ice to constrict your blood vessels."

"I'll be fine, I don't need ice," Kimi groaned, sitting up in her chair and just now realizing that everyone was watching.

"Now, where have I heard that before?" Danny asked her, a clueless façade spread across his features.

Kimi lolled her head back before bringing her gaze to meet his again. "Seventh grade. Lacrosse game. Hit in the shin. You said you didn't need ice and it ended up broken and worse than it could've been."

"Now you see how being stubborn can hurt?" Danny asked her, smirking triumphantly.

Kimi rolled her eyes. "Kimi's right," Sara started, having just appeared next to her. "She doesn't need an ice pack." Sara pulled Danny's hands off of her stomach and closed her eyes. Her hands began to glow white as she rested them over the bruise. "Martana Kiannar." Kimi could feel the pain literally evaporate from her gut as the once-large bruise was now reduced to nothing but slight redness.

"Oh man, thanks," Kimi told her as Sara took her seat again. She patted her stomach, which was only lightly stinging. "Nice."

"Your welcome," Sara told her, leaning back in her seat. "S'what I do."

"Now that we are all done with that and Kimi is feeling ok," Kyle started, looking at Kimi briefly. "Danny, you want to go next?"

"I'd love to," Danny stated, standing up and readjusting the gloves on his hands. Kimi reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek for good luck. Danny blushed lightly as the rest of his teammates chuckled. He stepped down from the behind the controls and made his way towards the starting line. Before him, a shallow pond stretching between the start and finish lines on either side of the course materialized, leaving a straight path of jagged earth before him.

"Danny's fight sequence initiated. Good luck, Dan!" Kyle called as Danny rubbed his palms on his thighs. He stretched out a bit and cracked his joints. "Three…two…one….GO!"

Danny started running towards his goal, when almost immediately a fire sprang up in his path, stopping him short. Danny centered his power, before squatting before the fire and spreading his arms wide in one fluid motion. The fire spread, creating a pathway for him.

His next task was only four steps away, an automated machine that began shooting arrows at him. Danny easily streamed water from the shallow ponds on either side of him. They met in the center, forming a protective wall in front of him. He breathed over them, turning the water to ice. The barricade protected him from the ten arrows that the machine shot before he used his mind to incinerate it.

"Yea Danny! Way to use your mind!" Kimi cheered as the rest of his teammates also cheered him on.

Danny disposed of the now unfrozen water and deposited it back into the pond. Danny surged forward, before accidentally stepping into an opened crack into ground. He brought forward a large chunk of Earth and clung to it as he pulled himself up and out of the crack. He jumped off and threw the rock to the side as he began on towards the finish line, which was now in sight.

A machine popped up and before Danny even bothered to see what it could do, pulled another piece of Earth from the ground and shot it directly into the machine. It buzzed softly for a few moments before beginning to smoke and exploding. Danny was knocked to the ground. With unexpected alacrity, Danny scrambled up and started again towards the finish line, which was a line of fire. While running, Danny spread his arms wide and created another rift in the line of fire, running straight through it and right over the finish line.

"Yes! Nice Danny! Two minutes and two seconds!" Kyle yelled from the controls.

"Way to go Danny!" Taku yelled as Danny started up there, wiping the sweat form his brow with his forearm.

"Nice, Dan," Kimi breathed as he sat next to her, leaning over to whisper in his ear. She gave him a short kiss on the lips and smiled at him, before leaning back in her own seat. Danny grinned, touching his lips, before crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Taku! You're up next!" Kyle told his teammate, pressing buttons on the control panel and looking up. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be, mate," Taku responded with a toothy grin, in his slightly Australian accent.

Taking his spot at the start line, he stretched out his limbs (literally!). He stretched his arms the length of the start line, then stretched his legs so he was eight feet compared to his normal 5' 7" stature.

"Taku's fight sequence initiated! Good luck Taku!" Kyle called from the controls.

Taku looked up and saw Clara glancing at him with disinterest. He quickly winked at her, but she merely rolled her eyes and averted her gaze.

"Three…two…one…GO!"

Taku immediately burst forward. Within milliseconds, a large metal wall had popped up, spanning the entire course and going at least twenty feet up. Taku stopped short, before aiming his hand up and stretching his arm until he got a hold on the top. Quickly retracting his arm, he was flung up and over the wall. For an easy landing, he stretched out his legs and planted them firmly on the ground. He stumbled slightly, before retracting his legs and continuing to run on.

"Nice Taku!" Kimi yelped.

"Way to go!" Danny yelled.

"Wooh," Clara murmured disinterestedly. Taku rolled his eyes.

Suddenly, a machine popped up from the ground and began spewing arrows. Taku bent his waist to the side, letting an arrow barely skim his torso. He did this about four more times, before he stretched out his torso, letting the arrow hit it dead-on.

And what the rest of his teammates saw shocked them.

The arrow went straight into Taku's gut, making an indent in his back, before it bounced off of him, snapped back, and was sent flying towards the ocean. "Whoa," Kyle breathed. "Nice Taku!"

Taku smiled triumphantly as he pressed onward. Cylinders began to pop up from the ground, obscuring his way, but he would quickly stretch around them. The last obstacle was a crevice that opened up in the ground, a seemingly endless hole, that Taku fell right into. Before he could fall too far, he shot a hand up to the top and sprung himself back up and onto the ground. He groaned a little from impact and nursed an aching rib, but was quickly up and going for the finish line. He crossed it with ease.

"Yea Taku!" Kyle called. "Way to go! One minute and fifty-four seconds!"

"Yes!" Taku hissed under his breath, doing an inward victory dance. He made his way back up to the stands.

"Nice job, rubber boy," Clara admitted gruffly, her combat boots crossed on the console in front of her.

"Thank you," he replied sweetly, taking his seat next to her.

"Yea, way to stretch Mikey!" Danny told him. Danny stretched out his arm for a high five, and Taku stretched behind the backs of Kyle, Sara, Clara and Kimi's heads to return the gesture.

"Clara, you're up!" Kyle told her. She pulled her feet off of the console, before trudging towards the start line.

"Good luck Clara!" Sara exclaimed jubilantly. Clara smiled softly at her sister. She was really the only person she smiled for. Clara knew that Sara, for her sake, always kept on a joyful façade. At least one of them had to be happy, with all the horrible things that had happened in their lives.

"Thanks Sara," Clara responded, taking her position at the starting line.

Kyle, who sat at the head of the controls, pressed a few buttons before it showed the countdown. "Clara's fight sequence initiated. Good luck, Clara!"

Clara stretched out her limbs and cracked her wrists. "Hawkas Menuit," she whispered softly, and was floating in the air just inches above the ground. Her eyes were glowing black, as they normally did whenever she used her magic.

"Three…two…one…GO!"

Clara began to fly with easiness and agility.

"Her powers are so cool," Kimi commented, as they watched her dodge several targets and form objects to hit them back. "Sara's too, since they're basically the same."

Sara smiled with glistening white teeth. "You should've seen Clara's face when our parents told us," Sara told them with a slight melancholy chuckle. "Nearly fainted."

No one pried any farther than that, as they watched Clara with interest. She had dodged targets that had shot from the ground. She was now watching a machine pop out from the ground and send waves of electric black energy at her. Clara reacted quickly, using a spell to create a pink swirling shield in midair to deflect them.

Before long, the machine had worn itself out. "Cisarion Nepar," Clara hissed, and the shield had disappeared in itself.

"Way to go Clara!" Sara cheered her sister on. "Way to use your shielding charm!"

They watched in awe as Clara finished the course and touched back down on the ground. She took a deep breath, before smirking slightly and walking back up to the controls. Her eyes returned to their normal hazel.

"Nice job Clara," Kyle informed her, a half-smile fancying his features. "Two minutes and three seconds."

"Nice magic, there, Clara," Danny complimented.

"Yea, way to move, girl!" Sara told her.

"Great run," Taku said, as she leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs on top of the console again.

"All in a day's work."

"Ok," Kyle started, clapping his hands together. "Sara, up next. Let's see if you can top your sibling's performance."

Sara smiled, jumping up from her seat. "Hawkas Menuit," she whispered, before floating up and over the controls to take her place at the starting line.

"Sara's fight sequence initiated. Good luck Sara!" Kyle yelled.

"Good luck Sare!" Clara yelled.

Sara smiled softly. The support of her sister as the only thing that made her get up in the morning. She knew this sounded silly, but if it weren't for her sister, she would be Clara's exact replica. She smiled for the sake of her sister. She smiled, to hide the pain that overtook her every night as she cried herself to sleep. Clara was all that kept Sara smiling.

"Three…two…one…GO!"

Sara began to fly forward with the same easiness and agility of her sister, as machines began to pop up in front of her.

"Your sister is really quick-witted," Taku mentioned to Clara as they watched her easily dodge a few electric disks and use a shielding charm against them.

"Something you're not," Clara responded with a sneer.

"What is it with you and responding to everything I say with an insult?" Taku asked exasperatedly. "God, if I'm trying to be nice I'd hate to see what you do to someone's who's a real asshole."

"I threatened him by using an Unforgivable on them," Clara lied.

"Dude, you can do Harry Potter spells?"

"It was a joke!" Clara exclaimed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms stubbornly over her chest.

Clara watched as Sara did a straddling jump over a cylinder that had spiraled out of the ground and flew over the finish line.

"Nice Sara! One minute and forty-four seconds! You beat Kimi's time!" Kyle yelled.

Taku whooped. "Way to go Sara!"

"Nice job Sare-Bear," Clara told her once she had taken her seat between Kyle and her sister.

"Ok…since I've already gone through my training program before you all arrived," Kyle started, while Danny muttered an inaudible 'I told you' to Kimi. "Let's go into the gym and get a bit more individual training done in there, before we start strategy planning."

Five faces looked to each other before murmuring and nodding in agreement, and soon they were beginning their trek up to the gym.

"Ok, so I guess we're going to be training for a good hour or two," Kyle told them as they entered the tower and made their way for the elevator. "Then strategy planning will consist of action plans, transportation means, what we can do in certain situations, and et cetera."

"Sounds good," Sara said, walking next to him, with Clara on his other side. Taku, Kimi, and Danny were walking just behind them.

"Danny, have you talked to Lily lately?" Kimi asked, referring to a good friend of theirs.

"Actually, yea," Danny replied. "I was talking to her on the phone yesterday. I told her about the whole 'us-becoming-Titans' thing and I think she had a heart attack. Don't expect for her to call you for another week, as the shock needs to wear off."

Kimi giggled slightly.

Within another two minutes they were in the gym, each individually beginning to train themselves. Kyle took to the punching bag almost instantly. Sara and Clara took to a battle of wits (which consisted of battling each other with their powers), Kimi took to lifting weights, Danny took to practicing with his elements next to her, while Taku took to stretching out on a set of mats nearby.

"Hey Danny," Moonfire started, breaking only a slight sweat with four hundred pounds on each end of the bar. "Could you come over here a second and help me?"

"What do ya need?" Danny asked, disposing of a fireball in his hand.

Kimi lifted the weight again. "Stand on top of the bench," she told him. He looked at her funny for a moment. "I'm just trying to test my strength." Danny shrugged, before climbing on the same bench she was laying on, a foot on either side of her hips. Kimi pushed up the eight hundred-pound bar.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, watching her as she suspended the weight in air.

"Hold onto it," she told him. Danny latched onto the bar, his hands on either side of Kimi's. "Now push down as hard as you can. Give me everything you got," she ordered him.

Danny looked a little hesitant, but before long, he had began pushing down on the bar as hard as he could. Kimi seemed able to keep up with him, for the bar had not moved at all. Danny grunted as he gave it everything he got, trying to move the bar. It moved about an inch, before Kimi began pushing it back up.

"C'mon, try a little harder," she joked.

"I think my strength," he grunted. "Is useless against the alien strength of the Princess of Tamaran."

"Princess?" Taku asked from where he was stretching nearby.

"Yea. My mom used to be Princess until she overthrew her sister who was the queen and Grand Ruler. She gave the grand ruler title to my Knorfka Galfore, but remained the title of Queen, making me, her one and only offspring, princess of Tamaran," Kimi explained to him as he pushed the bar all the way up and lifted Danny off of his feet.

"Damn!" Danny called out, his toes dangling centimeters above her collarbone. "Let me down! Let me down!"

"As you wish," Kimi told him, letting his feet touch the bench on either side of her. Danny jumped off the bench and took a seat on it when Kimi had sat up. She straddled it and leaned back against Danny's side. "I can't bench nearly as much as my mom can, but I'm getting there. I'm almost as good as her at harnessing the power of my starbolts, though."

"Hey…" Danny started, a wicked smile crossing his features. "Kimi, what do you say to a little spar. Y'know? Boyfriend vs. girlfriend?"

Kimi whipped her head around to meet his gaze, both eyebrows rising. "Sounds interesting enough," she supposed. "But how bout we put a little wager on it."

"Loser has to be winner's slave for a week," Danny replied smugly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, this'll be fun," Taku stated.

"Deal," Kimi told him, standing up and lending him a hand. She pulled him up and relinquished his hand, before sticking it out again for a handshake.

"Kiss on it," he told her, giving her a short peck on the lips.

"Even better," Kimi told him. "And don't forget, this week includes my birthday in three days. I already have plans cooked up for what you can do then…" Kimi trailed off evilly, smirking to herself.

"Or think what I can make you do on your birthday," Danny told her, taking her hand and leading her to the sparring mats.

"Yo guys!" Taku called. "Danny and Kimi are gonna fight. You gotta see this!"

Clara and Sara bounded to the sparring mats, as well as Kyle. Kimi cracked her joints and fueled up her starbolts, her eyes glowing a dangerous midnight blue. "Didn't your momma tell ya never to play with fire? You might get burnt," Danny jeered.

"Oh, I'm not gonna be the one getting burnt," Moonfire replied in a jeer.

Suddenly, the room began flashing red and a loud alarm began to blare.

"Damn!" Kimi shouted, hating to miss her chance to whoop Danny's butt. Kyle smirked slightly.

"Trouble," Sara breathed.

"Teen Titans, GO!"

TT2 


	2. Galfore Comes Home

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Teen Titans. I do own this kick-ass Beast Boy figurine though.

**A/N**: Second chapter…hope you like. I'm sorry to say I've heard rumors that review responses are banned. I will be acknowledging those special few who take the time to review, though.

I really want to thank **Tmidge**, **Raven 0f Azarath**, **Kimster44**, **Anwen/Valda**, **KorrianderX'hal**, **aZn DrEaMeR xD**, **bpotato23**, **Sersee Grayson**, **HeavensAngel009**, and **InkBlotted Chakra**. You guys made me feel so special by being the first ten to review.

And, to answer questions (**Sersee**) this story will be both the new and old Titans and (**Anwen**) I will definitely work her in, because I was going to have a new Titans East anyways. You just saved me work from having to think up characters…

TT2 

Richard awoke to the incessant buzzing on his bedside table. It was Kori's Mumbo alarm clock (Richard had asked her why she insisted to keep it. She answered with it was a reminder of all the memories they shared. He grudgingly let her keep it.). He pressed down on Mumbo's head and it stopped ringing instantly.

"Kori," Richard mumbled, rolling over and facing her side of the bed (though they had only been living together a day, she had already claimed a side of the bed). "Kori?" he reached his hand out and patted only air.

Richard heard sounds coming from downstairs, and assumed it was most likely Kori. After dragging himself out of bed (contrary to popular belief, he was NOT a morning person. He was only perky in the morning after his cold shower), he stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the freezing cold water. Richard jumped in the shower after stripping himself of his pajamas and quickly washed his hair.

Kori sat at the kitchen table, her purple bathrobe wrapped tightly around her, as she sipped at her tea and read the morning paper. The article of the New Teen Titans was front-page news, and apparently very hot.

Richard came in, as she was halfway through with the interviews they had done with each of the new Titans, having already read Danny, Hawk, and Taku's. He had on only a pair of green plaid boxers and a white button-up shirt, which was only half buttoned.

"Hey babe," he greeted with an adorable smirk, running a hand through his damp raven locks.

"Hey yourself," she replied. "Our baby made the news. And our engagement," Kori added with a laugh, pointing to the article that was clearly headlined 'NIGHTWING AND STARFIRE TO BE WED!'.

"About time," Richard joked, pouring himself a cup of coffee from the percolating coffee maker. "That only happened about four weeks ago."

"Speaking of, Galfore is relinquishing his duties as Grand Ruler for a month to come down here. He says he can't miss his little Bungorf getting married. Especially after the whole Betrothal fiasco," Kori chuckled, turning a page in her paper to continue on to Moonfire's interview. "He should be arriving today."

"It'll be great to see Galfore. He-er-won't try to kill me again if I touch you, will he?" Richard asked hesitantly, taking a long swig from his coffee mug.

Kori chuckled again, biting back a grin. "No, I suppose not. I mean, we are getting married. And he can't hurt you. You fathered his favorite little Trungorf," Kori told him, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ok, I know enough Tamaranian words to understand you sometimes, but what does 'Trungorf' mean?" Richard asked, taking a seat next to her at the table and peering at the newspaper.

"It is…Grandchild," Kori told him. "Of course, Galfore is not a biological grandfather, but he does not need to be. Galfore raised me, and he is enough of a grandfather Moonfire needs."

"And Bruce is the rest of the grandfather Moonfire needs," Richard told her with a small smile. "Aw look. Moonfire told the Tribune we were her biggest influence," Richard cooed, pointing to a single line in the interview. "That's my girl."

Kori rolled her eyes playfully. "You're going to be late."

Richard looked to the clock and saw it was already seven. "Damn. I hate when you're right," Richard told her. "You better not be late, though."

"Bruce likes me better…he gave me another hour before I have to be in," Kori rubbed it in his face, smirking impishly. "So there."

"No, Bruce likes me better. He made you my secretary," Richard reminded her, kissing her on the cheek. "So there!"

"Whatever," Kori mumbled. "Now get your butt upstairs and get ready." Kori smacked his rear. "Don't want to be late for your first day."

Richard rolled his eyes as he high-tailed it upstairs to finish getting ready.

"Mr. Grayson," his secretary purred through an intercom as he sat at his desk, scribbling furiously on a stack of papers that lay before him. "Your four o clock is here. Should I send her in?"

The man smirked to himself, before pressing a button on the intercom. "Please send her in, and tell her I'm looking forward to this meeting." He chuckled to himself, taking the stack of papers and storing them in a drawer in his desk.

"Will do, Mr. Grayson," she responded with a girlish giggle. Richard smiled to himself.

The doors to his office swung open, revealing a woman with a pretty face, and sparkling emerald eyes. Her crimson tresses were pinned in a tight bun, she was clad in a powder blue blouse, and a knee-length gray skirt with a small slit in the side.

"Mr. Grayson," she whispered seductively.

"To-be-Mrs. Grayson," he responded, beginning to sit up from his chair. She raised an eyebrow as he walked around his desk, leaning back onto the front of it and smirking impishly.

His wife smiled wickedly, sauntering towards him. When their bodies met, she laid her hands on his chest and leaned softly into the side of his head. "You know…" she breathed into his ear, lingering for a moment. She knew how quick he would turn to jelly if she just breathed lightly on his ear. It was a soft spot for him. "I checked your schedule. You don't have any appointments for another forty-five minutes. I'm sure we could make that work."

Richard Grayson, protégé of Batman, was a very strong man. Nothing was ever known to make him weak. Nothing, that is, until he met Kori Anders. His knees began to tremble underneath his weight, as she straightened his collar and smirked devilishly.

"I'm sure we could," he responded, as she pulled her head up to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

Richard made a very pleased noise, wrapping his arms around her waist and securely pulling her body to his. Kori giggled against his lips, encircling her arms around his neck and fiddling with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I love you," he whispered as he pulled away only an inch from her lips.

"And I love you," she responded, resting a hand upon his cheek. Kori began kissing him again, pressing herself tighter to her fiancée's body.

Suddenly, there was a rapid and timid knocking at the door of his office. Richard groaned in annoyance. His only time to be with the love of his life, and that just HAD to be interrupted!

"Come in," he snapped, relinquishing his fiancée with a very apologetic look. A modest-looking woman slipped herself through a crack in his door. She had short brunette hair cropped around her face, and a pair of square black spectacles hiding large hazel eyes. She was clad in a light gray blouse and a black knee-length skirt.

The woman adjusted her spectacles on her face, and smiled shyly. "I am so sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Grayson." She shot a glance towards the woman next to him. "But your secretary wasn't at her desk."

"That's because she's right here," Richard told her.

"Not to intrude, sir, but don't you have a fiancée?"

"Who is also right here."

The girl blushed a shade of deep crimson. "My mistake. Sorry, Mr. Grayson. I was told your fiancée is twenty-nine, and if you ask me you look much younger," she told Kori with a friendly smile. "Back to business. This fax arrived upstairs in Marty Finer's department about an hour ago. It was addressed to you."

"Thank you…uhm…" he trailed off.

"Miss Schwartz. And it was no problem," she replied, handing him a large stack of papers. "Again, I'm sorry for interrupting."

She quickly retreated, jogging out the door with one last apologetic glance back. Richard quickly flipped through the fax, heaving a sigh. He placed it on his desk, before looking up to meet Kori's gaze.

"I love you," he said in the sweetest voice he could muster.

"What is it?" she asked skeptically, crossing her arms over her chest.

He frowned slightly, walking over and cupping her face in his hands. "Bruce is coming over with a few of his associates to discuss the new project we want to start with Vic. Now."

"Oh, I see," Kori responded stiffly. "Your love isn't important enough," she huffed, in what she hoped was a joking manner. She walked away from his grip and turned her back on him. After a few moments, she turned her head to meet his gaze and smiled softly. He was sticking out his lower lip and quivering it slightly, looking like a forlorn puppy. "Aww, who could stay mad at a face like that?"

Kori cantered forward and into his arms, encircling her arms around his neck as they bumped noses. "I have work I need to get to anyways. And I have to go home soon before Galfore gets there. I'll live," she whispered.

"I'll be home probably an hour after you. I just need to wrap things up here and we'll go see Kimi with Galfore, k?" Richard asked, rocking their bodies back and forth and grinning flirtatiously.

"Ok," Kori breathed. "But for now, gimme a kiss."

Richard happily obliged, until there was another knock at his door. "ACK!" he exclaimed, now thoroughly pissed that his alone time with Kori had been smothered. "Doesn't ANYONE want me to be alone with my FIANCEE?" he cried in anguish, stubbornly crossing his arms across his chest. "Come in."

Four men appeared in his doorway. One he recognized as Bruce Wayne. Another was former Teen Titans team member Victor Stone; better well known as Cyborg. He was hidden, though, behind his holographic projector rings. A third was one of Victor's associates, Michael Thompson. The fourth was one of Bruce's associates, Kevin Wheeler.

"Of course we want you to be alone with your soon-to-be-wife, Richard, but not until after our work is done," Victor quipped, smirking. Richard blushed slightly, giving Kori a kiss before she scurried through the door. Before she left, she smiled and nodded to Victor and Bruce.

"Nice to see you two," she commented to the only two men in the room that she knew (besides her husband). "We really should do dinner one of these nights."

Then, she disappeared.

"Ok…so, what's so important that you needed to disrupt me from my work?"

Kori slipped her keys from her purse that night around five thirty, momentarily forgetting that she had left her house unlocked for Galfore. Once she realized, she rolled her eyes at herself and slipped her keys back into her purse.

"Galfore!" Kori rang excitedly. "Where are you?"

"Koriand'r!" Galfore exclaimed, sitting up from his seat on the couch in the living room and walking into the entryway. "Bungorf!"

"Knorfka!" Kori exclaimed, giving him a monstrous hug and laughing exuberantly. "Oh how good it is to see you, Galfore!"

"And how good it is to see you, my little Bungorf," Galfore told her, pulling back and surveying her. "You have certainly grown over these four years."

"Kimiand'r has definitely grown more than I have," Kori chuckled embarrassedly.

"Speaking of, where is my little Trungorf?"

"I did not tell you?" Kori exclaimed. "I remember not being able to send much in my transmissions, but surely I thought I included this!" Galfore cocked his head and furrowed his brow. "Moonfire was who replaced me on the Teen Titans. She is a superhero now, just like her parents!"

"My little Kimiand'r! A superhero!" Galfore exclaimed. "Oh how wondrous."

"Yes, Richard and I are very proud of her," Kori sighed. "Please, follow me into the kitchen." Kori led Galfore into the kitchen, where she turned the small white TV to the news and began a pot of tea. "I do not have any Sputwfinks, but I do in fact have some fresh-squeezed Glorg. I have cultivated the fungus myself," Kori told him proudly.

"My little Bungorf is growing up," Galfore murmured to himself.

"I have been grown up for a while now, Galfore. In case you have not noticed, I have a daughter and a fiancée," she replied jokingly, pulling something that looked like green jell-o from her fridge.

"I am here at the scene of a bank robbery downtown, where the New Teen Titans have just taken out their first criminals!"

"Oh! That's Kimi!" Kori exclaimed excitedly, standing to the side of the TV and turning up the volume.

Suddenly, behind the reporter, a pair of doors was blasted open. The reporter shielded her eyes from the blinding midnight blue light. Moonfire flitted from the bank, back just a little, as a robber came at her. She created a midnight blue shield in front of herself to keep him at bay, white Kyle came forward and kicked him in the back.

"Oh look at my little girl fighting criminals just like her mom!" Kori squealed.

Danny came forward, both hands encased in flames, and dug his knee into the criminal's back. "You move and you'll be fried from head to toe," he threatened, pushing his hands forward to let the criminal feel the intense heat radiating off of them.

"Amazing!" the reporter exclaimed.

"Kor, I'm home!" a voice called, followed by the closing of the front door.

"We are in the kitchen!" Kori called back. Before Richard could ask who "we" was, he had entered the kitchen to see Galfore sitting at his kitchen table.

Richard smiled. "Hello Galfore. Nice to see you again."

"X'hal," Galfore greeted, shaking his hand. Richard retracted his hand and nursed it, having had the life squeezed out of it.

"Richard!" Kori exclaimed, from her position near the TV. "Look!"

Richard turned to watch the TV's screen intently, to see six kids standing there looking very triumphant, before starting off. One, he knew as his very own daughter. "That's not-is that Kimi?" Kori nodded excitedly. Richard smiled as the screen faded back to the reporter's face.

"Our daughter's first crime bust!" Kori exclaimed, turning to him and jumping into his arms, before kissing him softly.

Galfore smiled, before clearing his throat loudly and deeply. "Oh…uh whoops," Richard chuckled sheepishly, before releasing Kori and letting her jump back down onto the ground. "Forgot we had company. How about we just go see Kimi. If we leave now, we'll get back there the same time she does."

"Good idea."

TT2 


	3. You Lose

Disclaimer: The Teen Titans are soo not mine.   
A/N: In case this wasn't already evident, chapters are alternating. Odd-numbered chapters will be the New Teen Titans while even-numbered chapters will be the adults. I liked the way this chapter turned out… 

**A/N 2**: I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed both of these stories, and everyone who will to come. I really couldn't have gotten this far without you guys.

TT2 

Within minutes, the Titans were on the roads of Jump City and on their way to whoop some bad-guy booty. Hawk was riding on his motorcycle (which Moonfire was convinced he did NOT have a license for, but kept mum anyways), with Moonfire flying next to him carrying Danny. On his other side Sara and Clara were both flying, their eyes respectively glowing yellow-white and black. For a rubber-man, Taku was very lightweight, allowing Sara to carry him without hassle.

"Ok, it looks like we have a robbery downtown," Kyle told them, as they took a turn into the worst part of town. "Chase Bank."

When Hawk skidded to a halt in front of the bank, it looked as normal as could be. No one was running from it screaming. No one was jogging out, wildly slinging bags of money about. Nothing was exploding.

"Hold on!" Clara hissed as Hawk moved to run inside. "Ratingo Nubia," she whispered, holding out her hand towards a small rat that had scurried towards a nearby garbage can. Almost instantly, the rat began to follow her hand movements. It slipped inside, under a crack in the door. Clara closed her eyes and stood like this for just a few moments, before reopening her eyes and touching down to the ground. Her eyes resumed their normal hazel. "There are two with knives and one with a gun, and three unarmed."

"Let me go in first," Taku stepped up selflessly. "I'm impervious to bullets."

"Ok, disarm the one with the gun. We can take down the two with knives," Hawk told Taku. "Right?"

The other four murmured in agreement. "Ok. This should only take a second."

Taku jogged towards the door and flung it open, before slipping modestly inside.

"What the-?" one of the robbers started.

"One of the Teen Titans," the criminal with the gun sneered. "Y'know I have six bullets in here. One for you and each of your little teammates."

"Well, use 'em all on me," Taku dared him. "Go ahead."

The criminal sneered as Taku strutted forward, people cowering on the ground watching him with fearful eyes. "You insolent child!" the criminal snarled, his finger poised on the trigger. "Let's see how you like this." He pulled the trigger and the bullet bounced off of Taku and indented itself into the wall, whizzing just past the criminal's ear. "What the-?" The criminal shot again, aiming for his head, and this time Taku caught the bullet in his teeth and spat it out onto the floor.

"Ese nino! El esta el Diablo!" a Hispanic man exclaimed in a Spanish tongue.

"No, I'm just a RUBBER-MAN!" He replied, his arm darting forward to rip the gun from the man's hand. In an instant, the rest of the Titans sprung forward into the bank. Taku handed the gun to Moonfire, who was standing right next to him. She easily twisted it into a knot and threw it to the side.

"Now who wants to get taken down by a bunch of teenagers first?" Hawk asked. "Titans, GO!"

Immediately, each teenager took to a different criminal. Taku took one with a knife, as did Moonfire. Clara, Sara, and Danny took the three unarmed. Hawk took the supposed ringleader, the one who had the gun.

Hawk retracted his bo-staff as the man tried to kick him. He held it in front of him, pushing his foot away. He swiped at his feet, but the man jumped over it and punched him. Hawk cracked his chin and made sure all his teeth were intact before jumping back up. A bright starbolt momentarily attracted the man's attention, leaving Hawk to punch him in the nose, kick him in the gut, and swipe his bo-staff at his feet to knock him over. Hawk darted forward and held his bo-staff over the man's chest, preventing him from getting up.

The man just spat in his face.

Ew.

Hawk cringed and wiped the spit from his face, before taking out two bird-a-rangs and sticking them on either side of the shirt on the man's torso, pinning him to the ground. Then, he made sure all the rest of his teammates were doing fine before beginning to usher innocent victims from the potential battlefield.

Taku watched as the man tried to stab him, but it merely dug deeper into his body. "What the-?" Taku, a grin on his face, tore the knife from the man's hand, before sticking it into his belt.

"Now if you don't mind…" Taku wrapped his arm five times around the criminal, before reeling it back, sending him spinning across the bank, taking out the man Danny was fighting in the process. "C'mon Danny, let's get these people out of here."

And the two left to do so.

"You want to dance?" Moonfire asked the man before him, who was baring a rather large knife. "Let's dance."

The man thrust his knife forward, as Moonfire snapped to the side to dodge it only barely. He thrust it out again, as Moonfire darted it again. It ended up slicing her uniform, and leaving a thin trail of blood near her ribcage.

"Shit," Moonfire cursed, pressing her palm to the wounded area and drawing blood. She barely felt it, though. The Tamaranian sense of feeling was not nearly as delicate as a human's. It was only a slight sting to her, while it could leave any of her teammates (besides Taku, of course) down for the count.

The man tried to stab her, but Moonfire easily and deftly caught the blade in her hands and twisted it out of his. Moonfire stuffed the knife in the hem of her skirt, feeling the cool blade against her hip.

"Que-?" the man started, but Moonfire had lunged forward, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. Her eyes began to glow midnight blue as she fueled up a particularly dangerous starbolt and blasted him right in the face. The man landed several feet away, groaning, but getting up anyways. Moonfire fueled up another starbolt, and hit him again. She flew up and towards him, before hitting him with another starbolt. He was finally unconscious.

"Silly little girl…" the man trailed off.

"Silly…Little?" Clara asked. Her eye began to twitch violently. "Oh you'll pay for that one you dirty rotten scoundrel!" Clara felt magic begin to burst through her veins. A spell formed in her mind as it played upon her lips. The man came forward and tried to punch her, but failed. "Cesarion Nepar!" she shouted, performing a shielding charm to save herself from a bloody nose.

The man howled in pain as his fist came in contact with a shield stronger than a brick wall. "You-"

"Makaron Necralix Petar!" Clara yelled, watching as the man was suddenly stopped in his tracks, frozen. He was literally frozen to the bone, staring in wonder at Clara. She smirked triumphantly. "That's what you get for calling me a silly little girl," Clara jeered. She turned to see how her sister was faring, to see her criminal had escaped her.

Moonfire skidded to a halt before the door, where he was running towards, and blocked it off. "You'll have to get through me, first!" she yelled at him. He pulled a switchblade from his pocket with the hand that wasn't carrying a bag stuffed with cash and jewels.

Moonfire's eyes bugged slightly, but then she narrowed them. Using her starbolts and putting her hands behind her back, Moonfire was able to create one large enough to blast the door open and back up farther. They went out into the street, where a crowd of people had gathered. The criminal tried to stab Moonfire, but she easily dodged it while stepping backwards. Hawk came up behind him and kicked him in the back, forcing him to the ground. He dropped his knife and it flew several feet away.

Danny came from behind Hawk and forced his knee into the man's back, both hands encased in flames. "You even think of moving and you'll be friend from head to toe," he hissed.

"Yes!" Hawk exclaimed, giving Moonfire a high-five. "Nice work, team." Soon enough, the police had come to take the situation from there. "Now let's go home."

Hawk climbed onto the back of his motorcycle, while Sara and Clara hovered next to him and Moonfire hovered on the other side. "We've got a score to settle anyways," Danny announced, eyeing Moonfire dangerously. "Mooney's going down."

"That's what you think."

They were soon back at the tower, walking through the hallways of their new home. "That was a great first run, especially since none of us have actually trained together," Kyle commented offhandedly as they approached the living room door. "And I suppose a few of you want to change out of your clothes, for thanks to Sara and Clara, we don't need to be dressed 24/7 in case of a spur-of-the-moment thing. They have a spell that can dress us instantly, amazing enough as that sounds. Anyways, I-"

But Kyle was cut off by the loudest girlish squeal he had ever heard in his life. He rubbed his ears, making sure his drums hadn't burst, as he watched Kimi fly up to a rather large red and purple figure in front of the five teenagers. "GALFORE!" Kimi squealed. Hugging him tightly. "Hezneran cuat nerka lee gorgon!"

"Kimiand'r! Yo norka mart la tineer!" Galfore boomed in response, hugging his young Trungorf close.

"Uh…" Taku started, rather articulately if I may say so myself. "Is anyone else slightly weirded out by this?"

"Just a tad," Kyle responded, raising an eyebrow in question. "Uh…Kimi if you don't mind, who is this?"

Kimi blushed as she pulled away, her hand still a little pinprick on Galfore's large arm. "This is my Knorfka Galfore. He had raised me when I was very little, and I have not seen him for four Earth years, since I was last on Tamaran."

"Oh right…" Danny reminisced. "When you told everyone you moved to Florida for a year."

"Yea," Kimi stated, blushing lightly again. "That was a good year."

"We thought we'd surprise you," Richard started as his head popped out from behind the couch and he walked around to face his daughter, who was levitating high in the air.

"Yea, Galfore just got in this morning," Kori stated, floating up and over the couch. "We thought you might want to see him."

"Of course I would want to see him!" Kimi exclaimed, hugging him again. "Ooh I missed you Galfore!" Kiimi pulled away and jubilantly watched him smile, creating wrinkles in the corners of his eyes.

"And I have missed you, princess Moonfire." Galfore bowed slightly.

"How are things on Tamaran?" Kimi asked, as her friends dispersed throughout the room. Taku went to sit on the couch, as Clara and Sara went to watch Kyle and Danny begin a video game, leaving Kimi to her conversations.

"Things are most peaceful. There are no ongoing feuds with other planets and all of our people are getting along famously. There has not been civil war in thirty-nine years," Galfore told her. "My, how you have grown."

Kimi blushed a light hue of pink, which was barely perceptible on her tanned skin. "Thank you, Galfore."

"I'm sorry to break up such a beautiful reunion," Kori started sadly, watching her daughter with beaming pride. "But we really need to motor home. I promised Gar we'd listen to his first broadcast on AlternaRadio. It starts at seven."

"Damn," Richard cursed. "I really wanted a play-by-play on how the Titans took out those robbers."

"Maybe tomorrow," Kori told him.

"Uh ma?" Kimi asked. "Before you leave, I need to talk to you." Kori furrowed her brow at her daughter, who looked rather nervous. Kimi took her mom's wrist and led her out into the hall. "Mom, I know you love me," Kimi started, taking a deep breath. "I know your obsessive about things, and want to see me everyday to make sure I'm ok. But mom-you have a wedding to plan, and a fiancée that you have missed fourteen years with because of me. I-I really wouldn't mind maybe just a call everyday or something. I know you have things you need to do, and I respect that. You should probably spend more time with him, seeing as you haven't seen him in fourteen years as of two months ago, than spend time with me who you have spent your whole life with."

Kori smiled softly at her daughter. "Kimi that is so selfless and sweet."

"And of course I love him too much for you to let you spending more time with me than him come between you two," Kimi chuckled. Kori looked a little lost for a moment. "Yea, I know, I don't make any sense."

"I knew I love you for a reason," Kori joked, giving her daughter a tight alien-strength hug. "I'll call tomorrow. I promise."

"Ok mom." Kimi and Kori were about to go back into the living room, when Kimi stopped abruptly. "And ma?"

"Yea Kimi?" Kori asked innocently.

"Please don't make the bridesmaid's dressed pink. I think both Raven and I will have to personally slaughter you. No offense," Kimi told her.

"Oh you," Kori told her daughter, returning to the living room. "Kimi I promise I'll call you tomorrow, ok?" her mother whispered as she gave her one last goodbye hug. "Bye babe."

"Bye Mom," Kimi told her, then moved onto Richard. "Bye dad." Kimi then flew up to look Galfore in the eye and gave him one lat hug. "Bye Galfore."

Galfore gave her one last smile, before the three swept from the living room and started back down to where they parked the car. Of course, Galfore was too large for the car and had to fly.

"Ok, if the adults are gone…" Kyle started, pausing the game and turning around in his seat on the couch to look at Kimi expectantly. "I believe we do have a score to settle between boyfriend and girlfriend."

Kimi smiled wickedly as Danny whipped around to meet her gaze. He raised a single blonde eyebrow. "And now, to the training room!" Taku announced.

Danny and Kimi wasted no time in getting dressed and making their way down to the training room. Their four other teammates were sitting cross-legged next to the rather large and spacious mat, chatting excitedly (except Clara, who was sitting there with a lazy smirk on her face).

Kimi took a stance on the mat, while Danny did the same. Kimi rolled her head around on her neck, cracking it eerily. Danny tested out his elements, before briefly stretching his limbs. Kimi fueled up a starbolt, before letting it dissipate and then turning her eyes midnight blue.

"Rules!" Kyle announced. "Keep it clean. We don't want any injuries. Stay on the mat, and no weapons are to be brought in. First to pin their opponent with a three count wins. Or first knockout wins. Whichever comes first. Loser has to be winner's slave for a week. No exceptions."

Danny smirked indolently, his knees bending and his hands beginning to fire up. "Like I said; play with fire, you're going to get burned."

"I'm not going to be the one getting burned," Kimi retorted.

"Now shake hands." The two did as they were told. Kimi did a short bow, as did Danny. "SPAR!"

The two were both hesitant to make the first move, but it ended up being Kimi. She shot a starbolt at him, a rather light one that would only knock him off his feet. He faced his palms towards the floor and let two bursts of air free from them, shooting him up and over the starbolt.

Danny then shot a line of fire towards her, but she easily fell to the ground to dodge it. Kimi, from her position on the floor, shot a larger starbolt at him, that he also easily dodged with his ability to control air currents.

Kimi was up within a matter of seconds, and ran forward aiming a low kick to knock him off his feet. He jumped over it, aiming a punch, which she easily grabbed and deflected. Kimi shot eyebeams at his shin, which burned through his cargoes and left a slight swelter on his shin.

'Shit!' he inwardly cursed, before creating a small ball of water and using it to cool off the potentially dangerous starbolt she was fuelling up.

"You-" Kimi started, running forward and aiming a high kick. He grabbed her foot and swung it back down, creating a ball of fire that Kimi deflected with a small midnight blue shield. It came back towards Danny, but didn't burn him for he was impervious to fire.

Danny shot another trail of fire at her which hit her head on and sent her back a few feet, with a large scorch mark in the center of her shirt, revealing her black sports bra. He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You little pervert!" Kimi shouted, darting forward and grabbing his ankle, pulling him down so he landed hard on his back. He groaned, nursing his ribs, as Kimi hooked a foot on either side of his waist. She fueled up two potentially dangerous starbolts, holding them above his head, before kneeling down and straddling his thin waist. She used one hand to support herself up, and the other to dangle her starbolt just above his face. "One…two…"

Suddenly, Danny whipped her around, lying awkwardly upon her, pinning her down. "One…two…"

Kimi used a starbolt to blast him in the chest, sending him up and flying next to her a few feet away. She scrambled up and landed on top of him to pin him down. His eyes were half-lidded, as he lazily watched the blurry figures before his eyes.

"One…two…three. For the next six days, twenty-three hours, fifty-nine minutes and fifty five seconds you are officially my slave."

TT2 


	4. An Old Friend

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans are soo not mine.

**A/N**: I still want to thank everyone who read and reviewed. I really do appreciate all of you. And it was definitely a joy writing this chapter. I swear, this chapter wrote itself it was so damn fluffy. I hope you like it.

TT2 

**This takes place the day after the last chapter**

"Yo Gar!" A voice called from behind him. He slipped off his headphones and twisted his torso in his seat to see his colleague sitting in front of the computer. The russet-haired man, twenty-six years of age, was grinning up at his friend.

"What up, Demon?" Gar asked, using his nickname.

"Raven's on the chat," the man, whose real name was Damon, told him with a knowing smirk. Gar's eyes bugged out of his head, before he leapt over the table separating them and landed on the floor in front of Damon. He had rolled his chair away from the computer to let Gar land on the hard floor.

"Bastard," Gar coughed, hastily scrambling up and nursing his side, before popping his head up and staring at the computer screen. He squealed an octave above the normal human's voice, and quickly grabbed the mouse.

"You really love that chick don't you?" Damon asked, leaning back against the computer chair and crossing his arms over his chest, which was clothed in a black shirt.

"Rae is soo not a chick…" Gar trailed off, smiling dreamily.

Damon harrumphed, blowing a locked of Jet black-dyed hair out of his eyes. "If she's got hooters and a hot bod, I'd call her a chick," Damon muttered, but Gar heard him.

"Shut up man, that's my girl you're talking 'bout!" Gar snarled.

Gar, since yesterday, had been working at an internet radio establishment called AlternaMusic. It was the biggest Radio station within Gotham County. Damon was a long-time friend, and had gotten him the job. On the website (the only place you could access the station) there was a chat site for all of it's fans. And at the moment Raven was logged on, on the chat site, as 'Raven-Crow'. 'Demon Child' was the name Damon was logged in under, and Gar had the misfortune to have to use it to save time. Thankfully, though, the chat room was virtually empty at this time of day.

**Demon child**: Hey Rae-Rae. It's me, Gar.

**Raven-Crow**: Hey Gar. How's work?

"Man, you better get back to the radio!" Damon yelled at him to pull him from his reverie. Gar realized the song was ending.

"Damn!" Gar yelled. "Tell Rae to turn the radio up!" Damon rolled his eyes, before scooting his computer chair back to the computer and posing his fingers over the keyboard.

**Demon Child**: Hey Rae, tis Damon again. Gar's telling me to tell you to turn the radio up.

Gar jogged around the table and sat back in his chair, slipping the headphones back over his ears. Raven, at home, stared at her computer with a furrowed brow before shrugging and turning up the volume.

"Hey all you chillers out there. Before playing our next song, I just wanna take this time to make a shout out to my number one girl. Rae, this one's for you, babe," Gar stated softly into the microphone, before turning on the song.

Raven listened, biting back a grin, as he serenaded her on a national radio website and proceeded to turn on her favorite song (Normally she was more of a hardcore/metal person, but Gar convinced her to like Alternative). It was God Send Conspirator by Coheed and Cambria.

Raven gasped, her bated grin growing even larger. He remembered!

"Hold in your last breath and stare…" Raven sang beautifully, standing up from her computer chair and beginning to dance about the computer room. "Assure me your metronome left arm stick shift is stuck on the right words in your ear!"

Raven twirled and tripped on the ends of her baggy cargoes. She fell on her rear and began to laugh. It was amazing how she was such an uptight and unemotional person, even after Trigon's influence had been lifted, and Gar had come and changed all that. He made her feel free. He was the first person to hear her real laugh, and the first person to cause it.

Raven sat up and rested her arms on her knees. A few minutes later, the song had ended, and Gar came back on the air, blaring over her speaker. "Hey Rae-baby I hope you liked that. Had to scour my collection just to find it. Anyways, after a few words from our sponsors we got some of the Killers coming up, along with the Rasmus, Shabutie, and maybe a little Ska for a good measure. I'm thinking Reel Big Fish. This is Gar, out."

And the radio went to commercials.

Raven chuckled to herself, rolling her eyes. He would apparently never change.

TT2 

Vic tossed his jacket against the back of his chair as he arrived in his apartment late that afternoon. Well, it was more into the evening, being it was nearly five thirty. He sighed as ran his hands over his face and collapsed onto his couch. It had been a rough day at the Jump City division of S.T.A.R. labs, where they were developing Victor's very own Holo-Rings. Holographic projector rings were very valuable to any police force.

Bruce was very interested in being a co-partner for his project, investing in any needs he might have for making the rings even more stable in their being.

Vic grabbed his controller off of the end table and flipped on the TV. Boxes still littered the place, and he knew he should clean it up, but he hadn't found the time as of yet. Work and other things had been occupying his mind.

A sudden ring broke him from his reverie. He pulled his cell phone from the pocket of his baggy jeans and flipped it open. "Yello?" he asked.

"Green," a jubilant voice on the other end replied.

"Wha?" Vic asked, scratching his bald Holo-head. He was still wearing his ring.

"You said yellow. I said green," the voice replied.

"Oh…hey babe," Vic groaned, rubbing his eyes. "What be up?"

"I've been spending all day with the guys, looking for new applicants for the Titans East. Believe or not, the crime rate is up in Steele City," Bee responded. "It's been hard these past few years, but I get by knowing you're waiting for me in Jump City."

"I'm always waiting here for you, babe," Vic told her. "Get any good applicants?" he asked, flipping through the channels, but paying more attention to the woman on the other line.

"Speedy's daughter is a shoe-in, of course. You ever met her?" Bee asked.

"No, never. Didn't know Speed-O was married."

"He's not. Apparently he had a girlfriend awhile back, who died giving birth and he was proven to be her father. He had legal custody," Bee told him softly, melancholy reminiscing of that time. Roy had been in his room for days, crying his eyes out.

"Oh man. That's terrible," Vic whispered, his voice going hoarse. He knew Roy was a good man and didn't deserve that type of heartache in his life.

"He had fun, raising Rhianna though. He's changed. He's learned some responsibility. Anyways, she's an amazing Archer. That's actually her nickname: Agile Archer. Her father was a real influence on her. I mean, she even looks exactly like him."

"That's amazing."

"Yea. We've also had a few other kids sign up. One named Kolulu, she can control Earth and the growth of plants. It's really cool to watch her do her thing. Then we have Mack, who can change his appearance at will, including his ability to turn invisible. And the last is Rourke, who can see the future, and also has powers of telekinesis. He's not like Raven, though, because he can only lift what he would actually be able to lift. No bus-benching or building-benching in the near future. He can become stronger, though. It's rather interesting," Bee explained, leaning back on the couch in her room and resting her head on the armrest.

"Cool. So, when are you coming over?" Vic asked her.

"My flight's a week from tomorrow," Bee told him. "I can't wait to see you, Sparky. It's been way too long."

"I can't wait to see you babe," Vic whispered huskily. "You're going to love what I did with the apartment. Manly enough for me but girly enough for you."

Bee chuckled on the other line. "That's great."

"Look, Bee, I'm going to go for a walk. I need to clear my head after work today. Conners is pushing me to finish the final blueprints I'll talk to you tomorrow, or maybe even tonight if I don't pass out first. I love you," Vic told her, resting his arm over his eyes.

"Ok, Vic. Don't push yourself. You don't want to wear yourself out before I get there," Bee murmured throatily.

"I won't, babe," he replied, definitely looking forward to that. "Bye."

"Seeya Sparky."

Vic closed his cell phone and dropped it into his pocket. He made sure his wallet was in his other pocket, just in case, before he stood up and walked out the door into the September air.

He crossed his arms over his chest as he strolled down the street, deep in thought. And it wasn't just work that was on his mind. It was more than that. He was thinking about Bee. He knew he loved her, and he had ever since the two had admitted their feelings the previous year. At the Sadie Hawkins dance, he knew she harbored feelings for him, but didn't think much of it, seeing as she was supposedly a villain. It just turned out she was working against Brother Blood

But Vic was confused. Lately he had been having some feeling in the pit of his stomach like something was about to happen to change his and Bee's relationship. But he loved her. What could change that?

Vic grunted as he ran into something solid. He watched a blur of pink fall backwards, before he easily darted forward and caught it around the waist.

The woman he had caught was about his age, give or take a year. She had straight pale pink hair and pale pink eyes. She was clad in a black tank top and tight-fitting blue jeans that hugged a nice pair of curves, with a pair of glossy black boots on her feet.

She looked familiar, but Vic couldn't place her face.

"Stone?" she breathed, her breath beginning to go shallow.

"How do you-?"

"It's me, Jinx."

Vic was so astonished he nearly dropped her. He was the only thing currently holding her up. "J-Jinx?"

"Yea, it's me," she told him. "I haven't seen you since-"

"Since I destroyed your headquarters and betrayed headmaster?" Vic asked, having that been the exact ting Bee had said when he first met her.

"I was going to say the fall formal, but that works," Jinx replied, a small smile adorning her face. The two began to receive odd stares, and Vic blushed a light hue of pink (as well as Jinx, but on her it looked more natural) before standing up.

"So Jinx, what's been up with you and the Hive?" Vic asked nervously. For some reason, he hated to think she was still with them.

"I-" Jinx looked away briefly, before returning her gaze to is penetrating chocolate brown eyes. "I'm not with the Hive anymore. After a while, I realized crime wasn't really my thing. I'm now an established bartender over on the west side of town. And it's Jenna now. I haven't been Jinx for a good long while."

"Oh…Jenna. That's great," he told her, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"I was just going to grab a bite to eat at a diner down the street. You wanna tag along?" she asked, politely smiling.

_I really shouldn't. I have Bee waiting for me in Steele City._ "Sure."

_It's one harmless meal. How bad could it be?_

"Cool," Jenna said aloud, smiling to create small dimples in her cheeks. "C'mon." She motioned him towards the path she had previously been following before they had collided. "So what have you been up to? I heard about the Titans breaking up."

"Well, we didn't really break up. We just moved on. We all figured we didn't want to spend our whole lives fighting crime, so we decided to initiate a new generation and do what we want to do," Vic told her, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"So what have you been doing?" Jenna asked curiously.

"I'm currently working at the Jump City division of S.T.A.R. labs. I'm working on a project with Bruce Wayne and Richard Grayson, to mass produce these rings," Vic told her, showing her the holo-ring on his finger. "Can magically alter your appearance. People would pay millions for it. Of course, it won't be available to public. I want to put it to good use, by selling it to the FBI, and letting them use it for Witness Protection Program members."

"That's awesome," Jenna told him, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's great to know people are still charitable in this world."

Vic smiled. "I can't believe it's been so long. I haven't seen you in years. It's got to have been at least five years now. You look so different."

Jenna blushed a light hue of pink. Vic seemed to just realize her skin was now longer a dullish gray. It was more light, more natural, but still rather pale. "Is that a compliment?"

"I'd say it is," he responded, an impish gleam in his eyes.

"Well you look very different," she replied. "I wouldn't have recognized you if you hadn't used those rings at the Hive."

"Well, I was just doing my thing. You know, the whole saving the city thing," he told her, looking up from his shoes and to her steady gaze. "I didn't really think much of it at the time."

Jenna shrugged in response. Before long, they came upon a quaint little diner. Vic held open the door as she slipped inside.

"Two, Gemma," she told the hostess.

"Two?" the hostess, a horse-faced blonde about five years older than them asked in disbelief.

"Yes, two," Jenna replied, sharing a look with the woman that said 'shut-up-now-or-I-will-most-definitely-crush-you-with-my-magic'. "Thank you."

The hostess grabbed two menus and led them towards a small booth near the middle of the diner. Vic and Jenna slid in, as the hostess handed them their menus. "The waitress will be by in just a sec." And she walked away.

The diner was moderately busy, with an old couple a few booths down, and four teenagers enjoying milkshakes. There was also a woman sitting at the bar, nibbling quietly at a plate of buffalo wings.

Jenna immediately disposed of her menu, without even looking at it. She knew what she wanted. "What are the other Titans up to?" Jenna asked curiously.

"Well, Richard and Kori…or Robin and Star are getting married in a month," Vic told her, taking a sip of the complimentary water on the table.

Jenna smiled and rolled her eyes. "Everyone in the Hive Five knew they loved each other. It's completely obvious, even to the villains."

"It was obvious to everyone. They were so thick," Vic chuckled.

"So what happened with the whole Star running away and coming back thing? All I had heard was that she disappeared and then reappeared thirteen years later," she started. "What was the deal with that?"

"Apparently, two months or whatever before she left, her and Robin were dating. When she left, she was pregnant. Well, she left because she was pregnant." Her eyes bugged out and she gasped slightly. "When we found her, she was unconscious in a bank, with her daughter there. We took her back to the tower to help her recover, and it ended up that she was really Starfire. She explained that she had left because she felt she was disgracing the Teen Titans by bringing a baby into this world under our roof. And well, the baby ended up being Robin's."

"Whoa. Drama," Jenna breathed.

"Yea. It's all ok now, though, because her daughter is one of the new Teen Titans, she's getting married to her long-lost love, and she has a steady job. Ain't bad." She chuckled. "And then Gar and Raven, Gar is Beast Boy, they're living together at the moment, and I think Gar is going to propose after Kori and Richard's wedding is over. Really no need to pull the spotlight on them while Richard and Kori are in it."

"And what about you?" she asked.

"What about me?"

"Well, last time I checked, Bee was harboring feelings for you," Jenna told him.

Before Vic could respond, the waitress came forward with a pad in hand. She was a raven-haired woman, about Jenna's age, looking rather unhappy in a pink waitress's dress and a white apron. She pulled a black pen from behind her ear, smirking slightly. "Hey Jinxy," the girl greeted. "Who's the boy?"

Jenna rolled her eyes. "What is it with the people around here and prying into every detail of my private life. He's an old friend of mine. Now, if you'll get back to your job, I'd like the usual."

The girl popped her gum rather noisily. "And what would you like?" she asked, pointing to Victor.

"I'll have what she's having."

The two handed their menus to the smirking woman and she briskly walked away. Jenna was still blushing an endearing hue of pink. "That's my friend Nora. I know everyone around her personally because I come here so often. I'm not such a great cook, so I often do take-out or come here. Anyways, she constantly teases me because I'm absolutely anti-social with the opposite sex. After Gizmo and Mammoth, I completely lost faith that guys could be intelligent and polite."

"Those two weren't exactly the brightest crayons in the box, were they?" Vic asked, chuckling slightly.

"No they were not. I was definitely the brain of the group. I was told they were lost after I left," she chuckled.

"So. How's life?" Vic asked. "Anything interesting happen?"

"Not really. I put myself through Bartending School with an inheritance my birth father left me. I'm a bartender up at Carl Rizzoto's. It's not the most glamorous job in the world, but it pays well and it's fun," Jenna explained, lacing her fingers and resting her hands in her lap.

"Carl Rizzoto's, eh? I've been there before…" Victor was about to add 'with Bee', but knew it wouldn't be too intelligent. "Never actually sat at the bar there though," he told her.

The two continued talking until their meals arrived ten minutes later. They were both hamburgers with fries. Nora sent a furtive glance towards Jenna, with a small smirk. Jenna merely tossed her pink hair behind her shoulder and ignored her.

Vic took a tentative bite of his burger. "Mm…" he trailed off. "You definitely have great taste in food."

"Thanks…" Jenna responded with a grin after she gulped down a bite of her own burger. "These are the best burgers in town and, trust me, I've been to every burger joint in town. I'm a total carnivore."

Vic let out a small laugh. "Me too. Gar is Vegan, so I'm always pushing meat on him. It's fun to watch him squirm in the presence of meat."

Jenna laughed. "I couldn't imagine being a Vegetarian, let alone a Vegan."

Vic smirked. "Finally! Someone who understands me!"

Before long, their meal was over. Vic gracefully offered to pay for their meal, considering as he was the one tagging along. Then he and Jenna left (with a few snickers from Nora) and began walking down the streets of Jump City.

"So, where do you live?" Vic asked her, his hands stuffed in his pockets yet again.

"Over on Magnolia Street," she told him, as they approached a crosswalk. For eight at night, it was still rather busy on the streets. It was rather dark as well, the full moon shining down upon both of them and illuminating their faces.

"Oh I live three blocks away from there. I'll walk you home," he offered, as they both hurriedly crossed the street.

"Wow. We've had to have been hanging out for an hour and I still don't know your name," she told him. "In case you haven't noticed, I can't exactly call you Stone."

"Well, close," Vic chuckled. "Stone is my last name. My first name is Victor. But don't call me that. Call me Vic."

"Ok, Vic," Jenna started. Suddenly, the cell-phone that was attached to her hip began to let off a jarring sound, which Vic had in moments determined to be a hardcore song. "Hold on." Jenna took the phone off of her hip and held it to her ear. "Hello?" There was a slight pause when Vic heard a masculine voice on the other end. He couldn't decipher what It was saying, but had heard one word: tomorrow. "Jake…tomorrow's my day off…No…Ask Mr. Ritornelli…Maya didn't…?" Jenna gasped. "Yea, I'll be in tomorrow. This better count as over-time though, because I did my 45 for the week. Jake…I'd love to, but not at the moment. Maybe later on tonight. Tell the guys I'm busy…Yeah…No…I'll talk to you later, ok? Bye."

She sighed before closing her phone and returning it to her hip. "What was that about?" Vic asked, an eyebrow raised as he watched her skeptically.

"My friend, Jake, from the bar I work at just called. Tomorrow's my day off, but my friend Maya broke her leg and can't get to work. I'm filling in for her. And then he wanted to take me out to hang with the guys later tonight," Jenna explained.

"The guys?" Vic asked.

"A bunch of guys I work with. Believe it or not, I'm not completely anti-social with the opposite sex. I just…haven't gone out on a date in seven years," she admitted bashfully, blushing a charming hue of crimson.

"Took a lot of guts to admit that," Vic told her with a small chuckle.

"I told you, people tease me. Of course, most of the time its playful banter between friends, but it feels weird to be twenty-seven and to have not had a date since my teenage years," she told him.

"Well, technically I haven't been on a date since I was twenty-one."

"But that's different," Jenna told him with a chuckle. "You've been living in a tower for God knows how long with one woman who was already claimed by your best friend, and another woman who had already claimed your other best friend. I mean, it was obvious Raven loved Beast Boy. What was a guy to do?"

"I guess that makes sense," Vic replied, blushing slightly. "Damn, you know my life better than I do."

Soon, they were on the stoop of Jenna's apartment complex. Jenna was still blushing her normal pink that seemed to follow her everywhere. It was more of a permanent blush, if anything. "Well," she started, looking away briefly before returning her gaze to his. "I had fun tonight. More fun than I usually have on a Saturday night, at least."

Jenna leaned up and softly kissed Victor, her hands tenderly cupping his face. Vic, caught in the heat of the moment, eagerly circled his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

After a few moments, she released Vic and pulled away. "Here…" she pulled a pen from her back pocket and took his hand. "Call me sometime."

And after she had done so, with one last fleeting glance back, she slipped inside.

Vic took a look at his hand. 'Jenna-651 3457' was scribbled upon it. He sighed before stuffing his hands in his pockets once more and starting down off the stoop and towards home.

Oh yeah, he was in deep shit.

TT2 


	5. Sunglasses

Disclaimer: The Teen Titans are not mine. I do, in fact, own the New Teen Titans.   
A/N: I'm sorry this is so late. I've been swamped with school, homework, field hockey practice, and still finding time to hang out with friends AND do my chores. I promise I will try and be more frequent. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!   
IMPORTANT: in Moonfire, I know I gave the color of Kyle's eyes and even the picture described his eyes, but I'm going to change that to say his eye color was no response and that he was wearing sunglasses in his picture.   
TT2 

"Hey Danny, you wanna grab me a soda?" Kimi shouted over the back of the couch as she watched TV the next day. Her long tanned legs were crossed and her black sneakers were resting on the table. She was clad in a denim skirt and a baby blue tee-shirt, with the arm covers traditional of Tamaran that she loved to wear.

"Not really."

"This isn't a discussion. Remember, six days left."

Danny sighed, before reaching into the fridge and grabbing a Sierra Mist. "This has got to be against the law."

"You wouldn't feel the same way if you had won," Kimi told him. "But, fortunately for me, you got your butt whooped by a girl." Danny gritted his teeth, jumping over the back of the couch and landing next to Kimi and handing her the soda. "Thanks Dan-Dan."

"Do you know what really sucks about being a Titan?" Danny asked Kimi. Clara was sitting on the very end of the couch reading a book, and Sara was sitting next to Kimi, daydreaming while paying slight attention to the TV.

"Nothing?" Kimi asked.

"No. I won't be able to play Lacrosse anymore," Danny sighed. Kimi rolled her eyes.

"You play Lacrosse?" Sara asked, obviously just returning to the conversation. "I play lacrosse too."

"Cool!" Danny exclaimed. "We should play together sometime," he suggested innocently. "Of course, it won't be too fair seeing as you've never body checked before."

"Actually, I have. Boys vs. Girls game at my coach's house for the end of the season. It was quite fun," Sara told him. Kimi rolled her eyes and picked up the controller, and began surfing through the channels.

"Oh my God!" Kimi exclaimed, pointing to the TV as she changed the channel. "Look at this!"

Danny watched the figures on the screen. Then, the screen went black and a theme song began to play. "When there's trouble you know who to call…TEEN TITANS!"

"Oh my God…they actually made a show about your parents," Danny laughed. "Wow. That's insane." Danny slapped his knees in mirth. "Nice."

"Whatever," Clara noted with a small roll of the eyes, before standing up and shutting her book with a loud and resounding snap. "I'm off."

"To where?" Sara asked.

"I don't know. Maybe train or something. I'll see you guys later," Clara told them, before walking out the doors and into the hallway. She was walking past the gym, and got about four steps past, before she backed up and looked inside its open doors.

Kyle was training, punching an unseen target, before roundhouse kicking it and giving it another jab. Clara leaned against the doorframe, her head cocked, watching him with a small smile. His back was to her, so he could not have seen her.

It was two minutes before either teenager said anything. "Do you enjoy watching people work out?" he asked with a slight smirk, without turning around.

"Depends who it is," she responded with her steely voice. Clara dropped her book next to the door and stepped towards the mat "You want to spar?" she asked, walking around his body to face him straight on.

A chill ran down Clara's spine as he smirked, creating dimples in his cheeks. "Sure," he responded, leaning forward to shake her hand. "Just…don't go all 'magic' on me, please?" he joked.

"I'll try not to," Clara told him, before sinking into stance. Within minutes they had begun to fight.

And, with a knowing smirk and a haughty laugh, Kyle had claimed title of the victor.

TT2 

"So…what do you think?" Kimi asked as she popped another kernel into her mouth, cuddled up next to Danny. "I think her boyfriend did it."

They were watching Cursed, along with Sara, Clara, and Kyle. Taku was holed up in his room, doing something he had been very secretive about to the others. "I don't know. Too soon to tell."

"Isn't it obvious?" Sara asked. "It was that bitchy horse-faced stick-woman." The other four looked at her in curiosity. "Oh, you'll see. I bet you all twenty bucks it was her."

Kimi smiled as her and Danny's hands met in the popcorn bowl. The lighting was dim, and it was rather dark outside, making it the perfect time for a movie. She rested her head against his shoulder, and sighed softly. She was only a young teenager, true, but she had a soft spot for Danny. He had always been special to her.

At frightening moments in the movie, Sara would 'eep' and turn her head into Kyle's shoulder. Kyle didn't protest, but held back a rather large grin. Clara would roll her eyes when this would happen, thinking to herself that her sister was too obsessed with boys.

Clara curled up beneath a black blanket she had brought up from her room and continued to watch the movie in silence.

About twenty minutes later, Taku had entered the living room and jumped over the back of the couch to join his friends in watching the movie. "What have YOU been doing?" Clara asked apprehensively.

"Nothing," he replied angelically. "Now do you mind sharing some of that blanket? I'm cold."

Clara rolled her eyes before grudgingly relinquishing some of the blanket to let him curl up under it.

By the end of the movie, the team had nodded off. Kimi's head was in Danny's lap, as he softly stroked her hair. She was fast asleep and snoring lightly, curled up. Danny had his hand entangled in her jet-black hair, and his head was lolling onto the back of the couch. Sara had leaned her head against Kyle's shoulder and as well fell fast asleep. His head was tilting against hers, their breathing both even and synchronized. Clara had her head leaning against Taku's shoulder, with his head leaning softly against hers. The massive black blanket covered both of their bodies. A small smile was adorning her pale face.

Kimi was the first to wake about twenty minutes after the movie had ended. She stirred in Danny's lap, blinking her eyes tiredly. Carefully, she removed his hand from her hair and clasped it in her own. "Dan…" she cooed softly, pushing back his blonde hair. "Dan…movie's over…"

He stirred. A small smile adorned his face as he looked down to Kimi, who had rested her hands and her cheek on his chest. "Key Kimi," he greeted back. "C'mon, let's wake up the rest of these lazy bums."

Kimi stood up and brushed herself off. She walked over to Sara and Kyle, but a small smirk crossed her features and she left them as is. It was obvious Sara had a thing for Kyle already…wasn't too hard to see, really.

"Hey Clara," Kimi whispered, pushing her teammate. "Clara, wake up."

Clara smacked her lips and slowly opened her eyes, adjusting them to the light. She squealed frantically and popped her head off of Taku's shoulder. He groggily popped his own head up and looked around, blinking lethargically.

"What? Who attacked? I'm ready. Titans, go!" he shouted, before Clara scrambled away from him and pushed him off the couch.

"OW!" he screamed as he rubbed his head, which he had banged on the coffee table. "What in the name of God was that for?" he asked irritably.

"You drugged me!" Clara shrieked.

"I did no such thing!" he retorted. "Why in the world would you think I drugged you?"

"Why else would I fall asleep on your shoulder?" Clara asked apprehensively.

Taku furrowed his brow and then scowled. "This is what that's all about? YOU FALLING ASLEEP ON MY SHOULDER? I don't know why…maybe you were TIRED ever think about THAT?"

"I wouldn't dream of falling asleep on YOUR shoulder, you creepy, unfunny disgrace to the human race," Clara responded angrily.

"This is the most pointless fight ever," Taku started, the only one of the two of them with the gall to stop it. "Just, quit it, Clara." With that, Taku jumped over the back of the couch and sauntered out of the room with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans.

"What the hell is his problem?" Clara asked angrily. "I'm going to bed. Don't disturb me." Clara strode around the couch and out the door, the same way Taku had moments before.

Sara stirred, along with Kyle. They both glanced at each other, then up at the two before them. "What'd we miss?" Sara asked groggily.

Neither teenager responded, merely staring at the door.

TT2 

"You'd think they'd want to learn to get along," Sara mumbled to herself, after just talking to her sister about the day before. It may seem like Sara and Clara don't get along, but that was exactly the opposite. Neither approved of most aspects in the other's lifestyles, but they still had a deep bond that went even deeper then what most twins had. They shared their lives, their feelings, their spells, their magic, and anything else you could think of.

"Exactly what I was thinking," a voice said as she floated towards the edge, her eyes glowing white.

"Oh, hi Kyle," Sara stated airily, sitting down and letting her eyes returned to normal. He was clothed in a pair of cargoes and a baggy black shirt, topped with a pair of very dark sunglasses. "It's barely even sunny. Why are you wearing sunglasses? Why do you always wear those sunglasses?"

"Protect my identity," he told her, watching her with a small smile as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

"But it's just me here," she stated with a cocked head.

"Old habits die hard. When I was living with Bruce, I would wear them all day, everyday, except when in the shower or sleeping.

"I don't understand, though. Surely I'd be able to recognize you, even if I didn't know what your eyes looked like," Sara supposed. She leaned over and brought up her hands to the sides of the lenses, and easily slipped them off with two fingers of each hand. "Better," she whispered.

Kyle blushed a soft hue of pink, before looking away. "Sorry. I'm not used to…well, you know."

"I can tell," Sara said with a half-smile, cocking her head to try and look him in the eye. "Kyle, look at me," she ordered of him.

Timidly, he turned his head to look at her, somewhere between a nervous and a shy smile on his face. His turquoise eyes were shining softly in the semi-sunlight of the mid-day afternoon.

"I like your eyes. They're very handsome," she told him, feeling her cheeks grow hot.

"Thanks," he mumbled in response, pulling his sunglasses back on and looking away.

And they sat in silence for the rest of the afternoon.

TT2 


	6. Complications and Coincidences Part 1

**Disclaimer**: If I owned the Teen Titans Robin and Starfire would be making out every show and Beast Boy and Raven would be…uh…pretty much doing the same thing.

**A/N**: I hope you all like this chapter. It's almost 5000 words long, so it should make up for all the time I've lost. Sorry I've been so tied up lately. I promise to update more often. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I love you all with my fifth heart, because my first four are already taken.

**TT2**

Victor lay in bed that night, thinking. His eyes, glazed over, stared unseeing at the ceiling before him. His hands were laced behind his head, his legs were twisted in the sheets, and he was clothed in only a pair of boxers.

The forlorn man heaved a sigh. He had spent a wonderful night with Jenna, but he was still dating Bea. He and Bea had loved each other for a while and had been dating for a year, but he had loved Jenna for much longer. It was believed it wouldn't work out because she was a great evil sorceress, but now she was a normal civilian, a normal person like you or me.

Was it fair to Bea for Victor to drop everything they had just because an old flame had happened to pop up? Vic decided not, but he wanted to be with Jenna again. She was so…perfect. But Bea would be crushed.

As Victor pondered his options, he found himself less attracted to Bea and ever engrossed in Jenna.

Vic groaned and rolled over, his eyes traveling to meet the large red numbers on his alarm clock. They read '10:56'.

Hesitantly, Victor reached for the small silver cellular phone by his bedside and flipped it open. He went into his contacts list and found Jenna's number, which he had already programmed in.

He let it ring once…twice…three times, before Jenna picked up.

"Hello!" she screamed over pounding music. "Oh, wait, hold on." Victor smiled to himself as he imagined Jenna in a crowded club, wearing some skimpy clubbing outfit, surrounded by a group of her boyfriends. "Q-MAN! TELL MARK TO TURN DOWN THE MUSIC!" There was a slight pause. "I DON'T CARE, I HAVE A PHONE CALL!" Victor heard Jenna groan, and the sound of pounding music got more distant by the second. "Sorry about that," she chuckled.

"Hey Jenna," Vic started softly.

"Hey Vic. What are you up to at this time of night?" she asked.

Ignoring her question, Victor pressed on. "Jenna, I want to see you," the words left his mouth before he even had time to process what they meant.

There was a slight pause. "Ok," Jenna replied softly, and Vic could picture a small smile crossing her face. "I'm at the club down the street from Zack's Barbeque. When the guard named Derrick at the door says you can't get in, tell him Jenny says to go tip a cow. That's the password for close friends of mine. When you get in, you'll know me when you see me."

"I'll be there in ten." Vic shut off his phone and untangled his legs from his sheets, placing his large feet on the ground. He walked over to his dresser, pulled out a pair of jeans and slipped them on with ease. Another drawer was pulled out, and he slipped on a white tee shirt and a black jacket with two white stripes down the sides of the arms.

He pulled out his wallet and stuffed that along with his cell phone into the pocket of his jeans.

Running a hand over his bald (yet little pinpricks of hairs were beginning to stand up) head, he sighed. It wouldn't be easy lying to Jenna like this. He wanted to see her so bad, but he didn't want to be unfaithful to Bea. While he was making up his mind, it wouldn't hurt to have a little fun, would it?

And Victor knew that this would be a bad idea, but for once, he acted like Gar and did not listen to the reasoning side of his brain.

Vic pulled on socks and sneakers, and grabbed his apartment key before slinking out the door and towards the garage.

Within five minutes, he was parking in a parking lot next to a building that was pounding rap music. Vic half-smiled as he locked up his 'baby' (a less noticeable version of the T-Car) and began towards the front door, where there was a line and two bouncers.

Victor walked to the beginning of the line and looked at both bouncers' nametags. When he saw the one that had 'Derrick' clearly printed upon it, he looked him square in the eye. Victor pulled out his wallet and showed the man his ID. "Jenny told me to tell you to go tip a cow," Vic commented casually with a smirk.

"You're in. And tell Jenny she's going to be over her limit soon," the man joked back as he removed the velvet rope and let Victor pass.

He walked down a small, dark, and dank hallway towards the pulsating Ciara song. Within moments he had made his way into a large and open area, a dance floor smack in the middle, a bar to the left side, and a Disk Jockey table dead ahead. He saw a head of pink hair, watching it sway rhythmically with the movement. A piercing laugh broke Victor's reverie, and he saw that Jenna had thrown her head back and let out a bellowing laugh at something one of her comrades had said.

"Hey you," Victor greeted, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"And who, may I ask, are you?" One of Jenna's friends, a man not a day older than twenty-eight, asked.

"He's my friend, Gav, you got a problem with that?" Jenna asked, as Victor's hand rested on her stomach and she placed hers over his.

"Not a problem at all," he nearly screamed over the music. "HEY DANNY, Q-MAN, JIMBO, KNUCKLES, HEX!"

All of a sudden, five guys appeared behind the guy before the two. Victor set his head down, next to Jenna's cheek. "Should I be scared?" he asked, swaying back and forth to the music.

"Very," Jenna responded. "C'mon guys, lay off him. I've known him longer than I've known any of you."

"Than where has he been for the past five years?" one of the men, tall, dark-haired, and silver-eyed, asked.

"We haven't been keeping in touch, ok?" Jenna snapped. "Is my love life really any of your business?"

"Love life?" all six of the men asked. Jenna rolled her eyes.

"Moving ON," she sighed exasperatedly. "Vic, this is Gavin." Jenna pointed to the man in front, a blonde with pale blue eyes and a handsome face. "This is Dan 'the man' Johnson." She pointed to a man with blue hair and hazel eyes, and a gaunt sort-of face. "This is Quirk; Matt Quirk." Jenna pointed to a tall brunette with an eyebrow piercing and a rather eased look about him. "This is Jimmy." Jenna pointed to a slightly pudgy man, shorter by about three inches than the rest, with short brown hair and blue eyes. "This is Travis Knuck, known as Knuckles." Jenna pointed to a man with Raven hair and emerald eyes. "And this is Nick." Jenna pointed to the dark-haired and silver-eyed one.

"Hello," they all responded, almost in unison.

"You guys, this is Vic," Jenna told them. "Now, I believe you all have women to get back to." Most of them grumbled in response, and some looked offended. "Or most of you."

Jenna turned around and faced Victor, holding his hands at an arms length away. He observed her fully for the first time in the past three minutes. She was clad in a thick-strapped tank top, the straps made of purple lace, and the bodice made of a black material, with a tie down the front. On her bottom half was a pair of form-fitting dark purple almost black jeans, with a pair of boots. Around her waist was a studded belt and on her arms was a pair of purple fishnet gloves.

"You look---awesome," Victor told her, leaning in close and wrapping his strong arms around her small waist.

Jenna blushed. "Thanks. You don't look half bad yourself."

"Why thank you, little lady," Vic responded, letting her wrap her arms around his neck and pull him close.

"So what made you want to see me again?" Jenna asked, the ghost of a smirk on her face. "Was it my irresistible girlish charm?"

"Maybe," Vic told her, smiling softly and moving his face closer to hers. "You know, I really did have a thing for you when we were classmates at the HIVE. That's why I asked you to the Fall Formal. I thought you were so…interesting. Such a strong leader, yet such a sweet innocent sorceress, you amazed me at times. And I have to say, you are also a rather good-looking woman."

Jenna smiled up at him as a slow song came over the speakers. "Would you like to dance?" she asked.

"I'd love to," Vic responded, pulling her closer. She rested her head just above his left pectoral muscle, and realized she had to be at least three inches south of him.

They softly swayed, as a few of Jenna's friends danced around them with various women, smirking at the woman in his arms.

"So much for I swear off men forever," one whispered to her. Jenna rolled her eyes once more and playfully swatted at him.

"Sorry," Jenna told Victor. "My friends have never seen me this happy around a guy before. I can control bad luck, yet I seem to have the worst of it with men."

"That's all changed, now," Vic told her, leaning down and kissing her softly.

Many hours later, well into two or three in the morning, Vic and Jenna retired from the club and bid her friends farewell. He offered to drive her, as she had walked to the club, and she graciously accepted.

"I had fun tonight…" Jenna chuckled as they stood on the stoop of her apartment. "Twice. Thanks a lot."

"No prob," Vic responded with a half-smile. "It was my pleasure. Hey…what do you think about going to Antonio's tomorrow night? Just you and me…say seven?"

"I'd love to," Jenna replied. She reached up and kissed him again, but this kiss wasn't as chaste as their first one on the stoop had been. Her lips were pressed firmly against his, her hands winding around his neck. Jenna, more forward than she had acted in eight years, jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing him harder.

"Victor…she breathed as she pulled away, her arms still tight around his neck and his hands under her thighs to keep her up. "I don't know what came over me, I-" but he cut her off, kissing her back. Jenna eagerly obliged.

"Jenna," he whispered between kisses. "I want-"

"I know, Vic," she replied breathlessly. "I want you too."

Jenna jumped down with their lips still locked and stumbled backwards through the door and towards her apartment, the first one on the first floor. She easily reached behind her back and turned the unlocked knob, as they both stumbled into the darkness.

TT2 The next day 

"I'm home," a voice rang through the halls of Richard Grayson's new home, different from Kori's old one. It was much larger, with four bedrooms (five if you turned the computer room into a guest room) three and a half baths, a library, a workout room, and a few other added delights (such as a pool and a basketball/tennis court). Hey, it was all a perk when you were the surrogate son of Gotham's richest.

"And who may 'I' be?" an angelic voice rang back, cantering into the entryway clad in a pair of pink lounge pants and a black and pink tee shirt.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe your husband," he said, feigning idiocy.

"Oh, silly me," Kori responded, giggling, watching as he dropped his briefcase and opened his arms wide. "But last time I checked, you were still my fiancée."

"Close enough," Richard told her with a goofy grin, pulling her into his arms and kissing her soundly.

"Mm…" Kori groaned, her eyes fluttering open as she pulled away. "Please, for my sake," she told him, reaching around his head and unconsciously pushing her chest up against his. Her hands deftly traveled over his head and pulled out the ponytail at his nape, letting it flow freely to his shoulders. "Cut your hair."

"Why must everyone bother me about my hair?" Richard asked, a small pout working its way across his face. "Bruce took me aside and reminded me that he taught me never to have long unruly hair."

"Well, I think it's sexy," she told him, with a small smile. "But I can't imagine you in a tuxedo with hair that long."

"Maybe I can do something with it. French braid it or something," he joked.

"Ooh, allow me to do it!" Kori squealed happily. "You'd look so adorable!"

Richard smirked as his fiancée ran the tips of her fingers through his hair to tease it out slightly. "Only you would think I would look cute with French braids."

Kori leaned in to kiss her husband again. "Yes, only me. That's why you love me." Suddenly, a ringing came from the kitchen. "That is most likely Kimiand'r. Let me go talk to her.

Kori kissed her fiancée once more, before trotting into the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, Kori sauntered into the living room to see Richard watching TV. He was lying with his head on the armrest, an arm across his forehead as he watched the screen disinterestedly.

"Hey…" Kori started seductively, licking her lips perceptibly to make sure he noticed.

"Hey…" he replied in a deep and gravelly voice. "What did Kimi say?"

"She just called to say hi. Apparently my little girl beat Danny's butt in a sparring contest and he has to be her slave for a week," Kori told him with a smile, walking over and straddling his lap.

"That's my girl," he whooped with a smirk. "Is she having fun being a Titan so far?"

"Yea. Our little girl is following in our footsteps," Kori whispered, leaning down and kissing him tenderly. "Of course. I have always wanted a big family, and now we may have one. Kimi is only the start of a beautiful thing"

"Of course. Our family will all be beautiful little girls with black hair and handsome young men with red hair," Richard responded with a goofy grin.

"And, for the love of X'hal, we are not naming our son Richard 'Dick' Junior. I may still be a slightly naïve alien, but I do not want my son teased of his name," Kori told him. "He would never forgive us."

"I can deal with that. No Richard Juniors. As long as we have a Spencer. I like the name Spencer," Richard told her.

"That is a handsome name, but of course we have millions of names we can contemplate. I myself am fond of Lily, or Isabelle," Kori told him.

"Well, we still have a while to think about it. I mean, our wedding isn't for another twenty-eight days," Richard told her. "Plenty of time."

"Speaking of weddings," Kori started, readjusting herself on his lap. "I have found the perfect dress for me. It is…well I should not tell you. But I am sure you will like it."

"Like it as in I will tell you that you look beautiful or love it as in you won't get three steps down the aisle before I jump you?" Richard asked with a cocked eyebrow, letting her interlace her fingers with his and hold them above his head.

"Oh, the second one, of course," she affirmed with a tiny smile.

"Damn," Richard breathed. "I thought you would've had enough sense to cover yourself properly, or we'll never get through the ceremony."

"Oh yes," Kori laughed. "I can see you now, drooling a river as you watch me instead of the minister."

"Am I that predictable?"

Kori nodded with another endearing smile. "But I love you anyways."

"And I love you," Richard responded. Kori leaned down and pressed her lips to his, his hands still pinned just above his head. "And I always will."

TT2 

"Ravie!" Garfield shouted as he tossed his jacket over the couch and walked into their shared apartment that day.

"Garry!" she retorted sarcastically. "I'm in the bedroom!"

Garfield strode towards the bedroom, popping the collar on his crisp white shirt. "Where else would you be?" he asked, making his way towards the bedroom.

"Is that an insinuation about me?" she replied, pulling her hair out of its towel turban and beginning to brush it carefully. Garfield entered the bedroom and watched her brush her damp violet locks.

"Maybe," he replied, walking forward and coming up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Well, then you might be completely correct," Raven purred, reaching up and lacing her fingers behind his head. "I heard your song on the radio today. It was great."

"Thanks Rae," Garfield breathed, kissing the spot just below her ear and staring at her reflection in the mirror. "You almost ready?"

"Why are you taking me out to dinner anyways?" Raven asked, pulling her arms back and fingering her hair back.

"I wanted to do something special for you," Gar told her. "Is that a crime?"

In all truth, Garfield had been playing the guitar for a few years now, a hobby that had sprung up after he started dating Raven. He had written and recorded a few songs burned to a CD, almost all of them of Raven. He played two on the radio station today, and a producer of a major record company just happened to hear. The man, named Jordan Mayer, had taken Gar's name and number and had promised big things for him if they talked about his future music career.

"No…" Raven started, putting a pair of dangling amethyst earrings in her ears. "Can you fasten this?" Raven handed him the ends of a silver necklace with an amethyst gem on it. Garfield happily fastened it, brushing her wet hair back. "Can you pull my hair back?" she asked of him. She handed him a hair tie.

"Sure." Garfield pulled her hair back and put it in a loose ponytail. Her hair was much longer and very beautiful, naturally straight and violet, hanging about down to her ribs.

"Thanks," Raven told him. He stepped back as she untied the tie on her black bathrobe and let it slip off her shoulders. It revealed a rather slinky black dress that dipped low and tied at the nape of her neck, and came down just a little past her fingertips if she held them at her sides.

"You are looking…I would say sexy but I'm afraid that would diminish the meaningfulness of that statement."

"I'll take it as a compliment," Raven told him innocently, turning around to bat her eyelashes at him.

"Ok, then you look extremely sexy," he told her with a small smile.

"And you're not looking half bad yourself," Raven replied.

"Well, I'm changing. I need a new shirt," he told her, pulling off his white button up and throwing it into the hamper, turning his back to her to show off defined bones and muscles in his back. He reached into the closet and pulled out a dark green button-up and pulled it over his head.

"It matches your eyes," Raven purred with a smile. "Hold on."

She encased her head in a black bubble, and her hair began swirling around in it. A few moments later, it diminished and her hair was straight and dry. "You ready?" Garfield asked, an eyebrow cocked. Raven slipped on a pair of small-heel shoes with silk ties that went all the way up her calves, before throwing on a deep violet collared jacket. It was cold out.

"As I ever will be," she responded, having already done her make-up. She snatched a black clutch off of her bed and they both started out the doorway into the hallway and towards the front door. "So, where are we going tonight?"

"Antonio's. I made reservations at seven," Gar told her with a smirk.

"But that's the most exclusive place in town! No one can get in!"

"One of Jump City's finest certainly can, especially if he's coming with his girlfriend who also happens to be one of Jump City's finest," Gar told her as he grabbed his coat then held open the door for her. The chilly September air hit her full blast as she crossed her arms and started down the stoop.

"We'll be walking?" Raven asked.

"It's only a block away. Can your feet handle that?" he joked.

"Yes," Raven responded, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her coat. "If I get to eat with my love, then my feet can take anything." Raven pulled her hand from her pocket and intertwined it with his.

"Rae…" he breathed, as they strode down the walkway. She rested her head against his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too," Raven told him softly. "So much it scares me."

Garfield smiled and kissed the crown of her head.

The pair soon arrived at the restaurant, Raven's feet screaming as they were seated and given menus. "I don't think my feet could've taken any more walking," Raven groaned as she inconspicuously rubbed them and looked at her menu at the same time.

"I'm thinking Pasta a la Antonio," Garfield said, smiling at her as she sighed in relief.

"Me too," she replied. "Sounds delicious. Like Cyborg's Spaghetti with triple meat sauce." Garfield made a disgusted noise, and the corner of his mouth twitched. "Oh, whoops, sorry about that. Forgot you were still a vegan."

"Vegan from birth, baby," Garfield responded with a smirk. Raven chuckled, neither her nor her beau noticing the fancily clad couple entering the restaurant.

"Yes. I must admit tofu isn't all that bad, but soy milk is where I draw the line. That stuff is nasty." Garfield stuck out his bottom lip and let it tremble softly. "No," Raven deadpanned. "Not the face. Dear Azar not the face."

Gar's trembling face turned into a smirk. "No one can resist. Not even the Great Raven Roth."

Raven let a small smile out, before he reached over the table and clasped her hands in his.

"Raven…look, the reason I asked you out to dinner was because I need to tell you something." Raven's eyes filled with questioning. "You know how I played my songs today on the radio?" Raven nodded avidly. "Well, a producer from a major recording company was listening, and he sees big things for me. He thinks I have big talent as a singer and songwriter. And well, I think-"

"Oh. My. God!" Raven exclaimed. "Garfield Patrick Logan!" Raven stood up and practically lunged around the table to hug him and kiss him repeatedly. "Do you realize what this means?"

"We'll be set for life. I could pay for everything, a house, a wedding, a family, cars, we can have it all!" he hissed into her ear, hugging her tight.

Raven smiled and laughed lightly, but it stopped abruptly and she tensed up.

"Holy Azar," Raven hissed, pulling away but still staring just beyond his shoulder blade. "Gar! Look behind you!"

Gar's smile faded and his brow furrowed in confusion, before his head whipped around. He caught sight of his best friend, Victor, eating dinner with someone who was clearly NOT Beatrice Wasp. He looked harder, his heightened eyes watching the woman laugh at something he said and flip back her long, curly, pink hair.

"Rae!" Gar hissed back. "That's-that's Jinx! That's Jinx-evil-sorceress-from-HIVE-I-am-going-to-hurt-you JINX!"

"Oh my-" Raven breathed. "Vic is cheating on Bea with Jinx!"

TT2 


	7. Awkward Silences

**Disclaimer**

Clara: Must I do this?

Taku: Would you rather have Jen make us make-out?

Clara: Ew.

Taku: disappointed Then do the disclaimer.

Clara: growls

Sara: GOD! I'll do it!

Kyle: And I'll help!

Sara and Kyle: Xno tofu for youX absolutely does not own the Teen Titans. insert loving stare at each other here

**A/N**: I suddenly had great inspiration for this story, so the words will be flowing from my fingertips like nobody's business for the next week or so. Hope you enjoy.

**Sersee Grayson**: I know her name is Karen Beecher. I'm still using Bee because she's still officially a Titan East, and that's what I did for the Titans.

TT2 

Sara and Kyle were still on the roof half an hour later that afternoon, sitting in silence. "Well this is fun," Kyle told her almost sarcastically, yet with a lighter tone as he stretched, yawned and laid back.

"Isn't it?" Sara asked, lying back next to him. Their heads rolled together, touching at their temples. "Look," she commented offhandedly, pointing up. "That cloud looks like a bird. A hawk, for you."

"And that cloud looks like an angel head with a halo, for you," Kyle said, blushing slightly, pointing up to a cloud.

"You really think I'm innocent?" she asked him airily.

"Should I not?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to watch her eyes through the lenses of his sunglasses. Sara smiled slightly, which ended up looking more like a smirk.

"That's not exactly what I was going for when I first met you, but it'll work if you like it," she responded.

Kyle inwardly chuckled at her antics, looking back up to the sky. "Sara, this may sound a little crazy, but I feel different around you," he whispered, watching the clouds pass through the sky, shadowing the sun at points.

"How so?" Sara asked, her breathing deep and even, matching Kyle's.

"I know I'm supposed to be the leader, and I'm supposed to stay strong and unaffected by anything, but…around you, I'm comfortable. I feel like I can let loose and really be myself. I don't need to be the leader to impress you. I just need to be me," he told her softly, turning his head to watch her reaction. She smiled and turned to face him, before lacing her fingers with his.

"And I don't want you to feel any other way."

Kyle smiled secretly, and then sighed a soft breath. There was a brief silence, not awkward, but pleasant, as they both continued to watch the slow-moving clouds. "So, tell me about yourself," Kyle started impulsively. "What are you into? What has your past been like?"

Kyle could almost feel Sara tense up beside him. He turned to see her profile, scared, shocked, and almost angry. "Sara?" he ventured timidly, watching her sit up and lean over onto her knees. He sat up and placed his hand delicately on her shoulder. Tears formed in her exuberant hazel eyes and she angrily swiped them away.

"I-I need to be alone," she whispered, her voice cracking as she stood up and started on a stride towards the rooftop door.

"Sara! Wait!" Kyle yelled, watching her form disappear through the door without another glance back. Kyle turned so he was sitting on the edge of the roof, his feet dangling over. "Great, Kyle. Just great."

He was sitting up there for a few minutes more, before the door reopened. His head whipped around, expecting to see Sara, but instead Clara came into his line of sight.

"Hey Clara," Kyle started softly. "What's up?"

"Nothing," she replied loosely, taking a seat next to him. "I was hoping to get away from Taku for a while."

"Why don't you like him?" Kyle asked, turning to face her, his sunglasses reflecting her sad demeanor.

"I-" Clara started, but she had no idea how to tell him. "He just-bugs me," she lied.

"Oh," Kyle responded, but he had an inkling that she wasn't telling the whole truth. "Clara, would you mind if I asked you something?" he questioned, looking back to the setting sun.

"Anything," she replied in a concerned voice. "What do you need?"

"I know you all have only known me for less than a week, but I expect you all to confide in me-to trust me," he started, looking back to her to watch her reaction. She seemed slightly confused. "I want to know about why Sara seemed so…distant…when I asked her about her past. Is there something I don't know?"

Clara seemed to stiffen as well, though she was the less emotional of the two. "We've just-we've made some mistakes in the past," Clara told him. "Look, I'm not really sure if I should be telling you this. I will one day, I promise, but just not now." Kyle nodded in understanding as he watched Clara slowly stand up and walk away.

And he vowed, no matter what it took, he would get Sara to confide in him and tell him what mistakes haunted her past.

TT2 

"Taku!" Kimi yelled over the couch, flipping channels next to Danny. "Come watch Family Guy with me."

"Be right there," he told her, balancing a bowl of popcorn, three sodas, and a large bag of Skittles. "Lemme just-" But his voice was obscured by everything spilling onto the floor. "What the-?"

"Having problems?" Clara asked, sauntering into the living room after her talk with Kyle.

"Yes," Taku replied with a sigh. "Help me, will ya?"

Clara raised her hand, letting her eyes go black, before everything her hand was facing seemed to go back in time. Taku's movements were all done in reverse, as the popcorn, the skittles, and the sodas all returned to his hands.

"Cool," Taku breathed. "You can turn back time?"

"Well," Clara started hesitantly. "Only at short amounts of time at once. I put a lot of energy into using my magic, and turning back time has to be one of the most complicated bits of magic I've ever attempted. Turning time back about half an hour requires about a quarter of my energy, but I've never really attempted anything past five minutes. If I practice more, though, I should be able to step it up to an hour using a quarter of my energy."

The pair began walking towards the couch where Danny and Kimi were situated, huddled close whispering and giggling.

"Aw, it's so cute it makes me want to gag," Clara stated sarcastically, yet with a smile, as she plopped down next to Kimi. Taku laid everything on the table, then took a seat next to Clara and laid his arm across the back of the couch.

Kimi stuck her tongue out at her. "So…" Taku started. "How do you practice turning back time?"

Clara shrugged. "I focus my center on one thing, and I just turn back time on it. It's complicated, though. II have to make sure turning back the time here won't tear the fabric of time somewhere else."

"Oh," Taku replied, turning his attention to the screen, where Kimi had just started South Park.

"Going down to South Park, gonna-BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP!" All of a sudden the screen turned red, two boxes with user and password on them.

Kyle ran into the living room, slightly out of breath, before running up to the computer and typing in his name and password. Sara, only moments later, came flying in.

"What's the trouble?" she asked breathlessly, coming up to the back of the couch.

"Some villain…calls himself Mr. Big…terrorizing the Park on the corner of Pine and Nutmeg," Kyle told them all. "Sara, uniforms if you don't mind," he requested, his sunglass-eyes meeting hers.

Sara focused her energy, closing her eyes, before opening them and letting them glow white. "Hicortax Nesberek Matin Nwar," she chanted, and they were all enveloped in a golden-white light before appearing in uniform.

"Titans, GO!" Kyle yelled, watching as they all ran out, save Sara. "You ok Sare?" he asked, becoming too lazy to pronounce both syllables in her name, after he had run up to her.

Sara gulped and nodded unconvincingly. "Come on, let's go," she told him, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the living room door.

The six arrived at the park downtown, where havoc was said to be wreaked. There was nothing suspicious in sight when they first arrived, but they knew looks could be deceiving.

"Wait up," Sara said timidly, holding out her hand to stop the others from moving onward. "Clara!" she called her sister over, her voice a hiss. Clara nodded imperceptibly and stood next to her sister, letting them join hands.

"Sakutia nekrarr litera," they both chanted, their bodies completely still, as thin wisps of golden-yellow light emerged from Sara and wisps of black light emerged from Clara. They formed into two silhouettes of their bodies, flying forward swiftly until they were out of sight.

Sara's body twitched four times while Clara's remained motionless. Soon enough, the silhouettes came back into sight and realigned with the appropriate body.

"You're going to want to see this," Sara started, voice trembling, as they ran in the direction from which they came, their team following.

"What's there?" Kyle asked, running alongside Clara.

"A huge man…fifty, sixty feet maybe….he keeps downsizing and then making himself bigger it's…creepy. Come on," Clara told them all, waving her hand in one direction. Suddenly, screams and deep malicious laughs pierced the air.

The Titans came into a small clearing, filled with benches, water fountains, a playground, a sandbox, and a swing set.

"You can never hope to defy the largest man the world has ever created," the man laughed in a gravelly voice, maliciously laughing again.

"Then again, Mr. Big, no one can hope to defeat the Teen Titans. Titans, GO!" Hawk yelled (damn, his remarks are cornier than Robin's). "MOONFIRE, GIMME A LIFT!"

Moonfire flew forward, having dropped Danny's hand, picking up Hawk's hand. Within moments she had launched him into Mr. Big's face, watching him pull out his exploding spheres and throw them in his face before latching onto his neck.

The large man was temporarily blinded, allowing Moonfire to shoot five starbolts at him, making him roar with fury and stumble back.

"NEKRATOR LORACRIX SINON SIOBHAN!" Clara and Sara yelled, pulling up a grayish barrier between them both, about as tall as the man. The twins let him fall back onto this shield, using all their might to keep it up for there were a few civilians behind it. Sara and Clara were strained, but kept the shield up, his extreme weight becoming a challenge.

Danny ran up and jumped, using air current to push his body up and into the man. He streamed small amounts of water from a nearby pond into the man, watching him blubber. The man roared and picked Danny off of him, tossing him behind his shoulder like a rag doll.

"DANNY!" Moonfire yelled, flying to him and catching him by the hand just moments before he hit the ground. "Are you ok?" she asked him, watching him nurse his head. He nodded.

"A little sore, but I'll be fine," he told her with a smile. Kimi sighed in relief and was about to kiss him but stopped herself.

"Sorry, Dan, but we can't let our enemies know we have something special. They'll use it against us. Come on," she whispered, taking his hand and flying him back to where the large man was now getting wrapped up by Taku.

"ARGH!" the man yelled, trying to thrash about. Instead, Taku only tightened his grip as the man's face began to turn red and he was forced to turn smaller if he wanted to breath. Taku merely shrunk with him, until the man was the size of a small child and couldn't grow any smaller, or larger.

"And that, you can tell your friends, assuming you have any, is how you just got whooped by the Teen Titans," Kyle sneered, arms defiantly crossed over his chest.

Oh yeah, that felt good.

TT2 

The Titans went to a pizza place to get a celebratory pizza afterwards, after going to the tower to change into normal clothing. "To our second bust!" Kyle cried happily, raising his glass of Coke. The leader was clad in a pair of jeans and a baggy black shirt with his hawk symbol on it. ON his eyes were his trademark sunglasses.

"Here here!" Taku cried happily, clad in a black spandex shirt and a pair of cargo shorts.

"I agree!" Kimi stated wholeheartedly, raising her glass of Sierra Mist, standing up and smiling broadly. She was clad in a pair of jean shorts with a brown leather belt and a green and brown striped tee shirt.

"Me too!" Sara laughed, in a cargo skirt and a deep crimson long-sleeved collared shirt. "We did incredible today. Great last move, Taku!"

"It was nothing, Taku replied, from his position next to Danny. Kimi leaned over to Danny and ruffled his blonde locks

"You look so adorable," she whispered so no one but him could hear.

"Thanks," he replied. "You don't look half-bad yourself." He leaned in to kiss her but remembered that they were in public and all types of romantic publicity could be potentially dangerous.

Kimi smiled in response.

"So, anything you have to add Clara?" Kyle asked, sitting back down. "I haven't heard much from you."

"Yea, you've been quiet all day," Taku added thoughtfully, taking a swig of his water. "Anything you want to say?"

Clara shrugged. "If I wanna be quiet, I'll be quiet," she snapped at Taku. "But I must admit, we did good today." Clara daintily sipped at her iced tea.

Taku sighed in defeat and decided to leave her alone for a while. Maybe she still needed to cool off from last night. "Anyways…Sara, Clara, I liked the whole shield thing you had going on. I want you to work a little more on that during training tomorrow. Moonfire, I want you to try and work on strengthening your eyebeams tomorrow in training, because you've barely used them in battle and from what I've heard they're three times as powerful as your starbolts," Kyle noted, watching Clara, Sara, and Kimi nod dutifully.

A waitress walked up to their table and cleared her throat politely. "What can I get for y'all?" she asked pleasantly, pulling out a pad of paper, and pulling a pen from behind her ear.

"Let's see," Taku started. "A half sausage, half cheese medium pizza for Kyle and I," he told the waitress.

"A half mustard and half cheese pizza for Danny and I," Kimi told the waitress, trying not to feel odd for ordering such a combination.

"You're Starfire's daughter, aren't you?" the waitress asked with a smile. Kimi nodded happily. "She's the reason we added mustard-covered pizza to the menu."

"Ew, mustard pizza?" Sara asked, scrunching up her nose in disgust.

"It's so good, you have to try it," Kimi told her, nodding her head enthusiastically. Sara laughed.

"Ok, then a vegetarian pizza for Clara and I," Sara told the woman with a courteous smile.

"Of course. Your food should be ready in twenty minutes," the waitress told them. She then deposited her notebook into the pocket of her uniform and walked off.

"You're a vegetarian?" Kyle asked Sara.

"We both are," Sara told him, her finger pointing to the both of them. "Ever since our…mother…taught us the evils of eating meat." Sara hesitated when saying 'mother', then became slightly somber and quiet.

"Cool," Taku told them. "I'm not really vegetarian, but I tend to avoid meat, because I'm fond of animals and I think it's wrong to eat them."

Clara nodded in understanding. "Interesting," she murmured, before falling quiet like her counterpart.

**TT2**


	8. Complications and Coincidences Part 2

I know there has been fluff in massive proportions in the adult sections of this story. I do promise to pump up the action and the drama, but for now I'm just getting this story off the ground before the plot gets too complicated.

TT2 

Vic awoke the next morning and rubbed his eyes groggily. His vision cleared up, and he saw Jenna sleeping peacefully next to him, wrapped up in his tee-shirt. He softly stroked strands of her light pink hair, before climbing from her large and lavishly decorated bed.

Victor pulled on his jeans and threw on his jacket, zipping it up halfway. He wouldn't awaken such a sleeping beauty for something as petty as a piece of cloth.

The large, bald man found a piece of paper and a pen, and hastily scribbled a short note upon it. The note read, in Vic's rapid and untidy scrawl:

Jenna,

Sorry, I have to get to work. I haven't forgotten our dinner date. I'll pick you up tonight at seven. If you need me, my cell number is 330-6060.

-Vic

Victor left the note by her bedside, and kissed her on the lips one last time before grabbing his cell phone and evading her apartment.

It was a relatively short drive back to his apartment from hers, only about ten minutes. Once inside, Vic collapsed onto his couch and pulled out his cell phone. Immediately he dialed the number that had become so familiar to him.

He waited for it to ring.

Once.

Twice.

"Hello?" an unusually perky and bright voice greeted.

"Hey you," Vic greeted, still working the sleep from his voice.

"Oh," Bee started, slightly downcast (from what Vic could tell of her voice), but she quickly regained her composure. "Hey Vic, what's up?"

"Nothing much, Kare, what's up with you?" he asked, stalling as long as he could to tell her the burden he held on his shoulders.

"Nothing," she replied.

"So, what-?" he started, but she cut him off.

"Vic, wait," Bee started. "I have something to say. It's not that I don't love you, because I really do, but I haven't been too honest."

Victor's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, sitting up and leaning onto his knees.

"I kind of-well-I slept with another man." On the other line, Bee blushed in shame even though he could not see. "I'm sorry, Victor."

There was apparent shock at first, then fury, then subsided anger towards himself. This is how he felt and he was about to break the same news to her? He sure was a hypocrite, wasn't he? "Look, don't be sorry, Karen. I slept with another woman, and I was calling to tell you."

"But…don't we love each other?" Bee asked, straining her cracked voice. "Isn't there something there that we both felt?"

"Babe, I love you, and I always will, but there was kind of always someone there before you," he told her honestly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Sparky. I'm not. We realized we only felt strong lust towards each other. We really love other people, and I'm fine with that," she told him, smiling a genuine smile.

"Are you still coming to Jump City? I can't wait to see you," Vic told her, smiling to himself and leaning back again.

"Of course. I can't wait to see you, either. You were my first good friend in the HIVE, and that never changed. So tell me, Sparks, who's the new girl?" she asked casually, as if they had not just been talking about cheating on one another a moment ago.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Vic told her, with a slight chuckle.

"I can practically imagine the impish gleam in your eye right now," Bee responded. And she was right. "Now who's the lucky lady that gets my man?"

"Look, Kare, if I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone. And I mean NO ONE!" he told her firmly.

"Ok, I promise," she replied softly.

"Jinx. From the HIVE," he told her.

"JINX?"

"Yes, but she's good now. She's a civilian. She's just like you or me, making a living in Jump City," Victor told his former flame. "That's why I didn't want you to tell anyone. I don't want the Titans to find out just yet."

"Ok. My lips are sealed. I promise."

And that was a promise Victor knew she would keep.

TT2 (Takes place where last chapter of the Adults left off) 

"Oh my God," Gar whispered, turning his head to watch them as they snuggled together in a booth. "Did he say anything about this to you? Maybe he broke up with Bee."

"He would've told us, or at least Richard, and Richard would've told us," Raven reasoned. "And I'm almost positive he didn't break up with Bee. How long do you think this has been going on?" Raven asked him, returning to her seat but scooting closer to him so they could talk privately.

"I…don't know," Gar told her, scratching the back of his blonde head. He was currently wearing one of Victor's complimentary holo-rings. Raven didn't necessarily need one, but she wore one to turn her skin a normal tanned shade.

"What should we do? Should we go up to him, or wait until he sees us?" Raven asked him, tugging on the sleeve of his forest green button-up.

"We'll play it by ear…let's enjoy our dinner. If he sees us, he sees us, if he doesn't, we'll confront him about it," Garfield told her. "We don't need to get worked up. This is our time. Let's try and enjoy it."

Raven smiled, leaning over and kissing him softly on the lips, her hand reaching up to twiddle with a lock of his silky-smooth hair. "I love you," Raven murmured throatily, her lips an inch from his after they had pulled apart.

"I love you more," he replied, before kissing her again.

The waiter, a man no older than Bruce Wayne, cleared his throat loudly at the lip locked couple, watching them with an amused smirk. "Oh…um," Garfield started nervously as they pulled apart. "Sorry about that, sir."

"It is quite alright. I have seen much worse public displays of affection inside this establishment before. May I take your orders?" he asked politely, with a smile. The man had short-cut russet locks and soft hazel eyes, with a courteous and eased look about him. The most interesting thing about him, though, was an eyebrow piercing above his left eye.

"I think we both decided on the Pasta a la Antonio," Raven announced. "I'll have a cup of green tea to drink."

"And I will have a cup of raspberry tea to drink, please," Garfield asked of the man, handing him his menu.

"Very good choice," the man told them, taking their menus. "I am sure you will enjoy it." The man turned and walked away, but only got three feet before a pink haired woman hugged him from behind.

"Jenna?" the man asked, breaking from her grasp and turning around. Garfield and Raven watched the whole scene unfold before them.

"Hey. I didn't know you were working tonight, Matty," she told him. "What's up?"

"Don't tell me you're here with that snobby Stone guy," the waiter asked, almost pleaded.

"Snobby?" Jenna asked, taken aback. "You don't even know him. He happens to be a very nice guy, Matt. Why don't you approve of anyone I like?"

"He just doesn't seem right for you," Matt told her. "I have to get back to work, if you don't mind."

Jenna sighed in defeat and nodded dejectedly. "Whatever, Matt. This conversation isn't over. I need to talk to you. I'll try and call later tonight."

Matt snorted in disgust and crossed his arms over his chest. "If you and the new guy aren't fucking like dogs," he sneered. Jenna shrieked softly and slapped his arm, causing him to lose his stolid face and begin rubbing the wounded area.

"I told you not to mention that, Matt. I thought I could trust you to keep my secrets, but apparently I can't," Jenna spat. "If you're going to be such an ass about it, then why are you even my friend?"

"No…I'm sorry, Jenna. I'm still just pissed off because Tina and I broke up. He's fine, you just know I like to push your buttons. Now go get back to him before he thinks I stole you," Matt joked.

"I love you, Matty," Jenna told him, in a way that was easy to identify as purely platonic. "But you do push my buttons sometimes. I love Vic, and I have for a very long time. I want you to know that before you think I'm some kind of skank."

"I never would, Jen," Matt responded, giving her a quick hug. "Give me a call later."

And he walked away, leaving Jenna to walk back to her table. "So they've been sleeping together?" Raven asked. Garfield turned to her, shocked, and nodded slowly.

"My God. I can't believe Vic would do that," Gar told her. "Well, there's no point in letting this bother us now."

"I guess so," Raven told him, interlacing their fingers and laying them on the table.

"Now that's my Rae-Rae," he whispered, kissing her cheek. "But I have to use the facilities, so I'll be back in a minute." Garfield pulled his hand from hers and stood up, giving her one last lingering glance before starting to the bathroom.

Gar entered the bedecked bathroom, and began his-_ahem_-business. A few moments later, he walked to the sink to wash his hands, and a man entered the bathroom. Gar looked up into the mirror, to see the shocked face of Victor Stone.

"Hey Gar," Vic started casually, to mask his surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I think the answer to that would be quite obvious," Gar responded, grinning, reaching for the soap and lathering his hands.

"No, I mean what are you doing in this restaurant?" Vic asked, looking the man over with a 'stop-being-such-a-smart-ass' look. "You got a hot date?" he asked, his fingers deftly popping the collar to his sleeved shirt.

"With Raven, yes," Gar replied, grinning goofily. "Who you here with, man?" Though he already knew.

"Some colleagues from work," Vic lied smoothly. "It's some dude's birthday and he invited me to tag along."

"Cool…" Garfield trailed off, shaking his hands to dry them off. "Look, Vic, I know the truth," he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"The truth?" Vic quivered.

"That you're here with Jinx."

Victor sighed dejectedly, slumping into a couch next to the two marble sinks. "I didn't really mean for it to end up this way. Y'know, for me to fall in love with an enemy. But she's changed, BB, she really has," he told him, his head coming up. Garfield watched him with a questioning stare. Vic sighed. "You know how you feel when you look at Raven?"

"Like I'm invincible…like nothing can bring me down, and I'll always have my Raven flying by my side," he replied, before blushing, seeing as his response was a bit more mushy than intended.

"That's how I feel with Jenna," Victor told his best friend with a small smile. "She's perfect, man. She loves to party yet she holds a steady job, she's fun, yet she can be serious when you want her to be. She's amazing beyond belief. And between guys, she's even more amazing in bed."

"Holy crap man! So you guys DID do it!" Gar gasped.

Vic blushed.

"But what about Bee?" Garfield asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "The last time I checked, you two were still going out and…well…"

"Karen? Well, this morning, I called to tell her. She admitted to cheating on me, and we worked the whole thing out. I kind of felt better afterwards, knowing I'm a free man and I won't be lying to either woman now," Victor told him.

"What are you going to do about tomorrow?" Gar asked, crossing his clean hands over his chest.

"What about tomorrow?" Victor asked. He knew tomorrow was Saturday and the lot of them were going to Richard's house for a small get together, for maybe a swim and a little music.

"Are you going to tell the others that you are dating one of our worst enemies of all time?" the cloaked green one asked him.

Victor's exuberant expression dropped almost instantly. "Gar…buddy…you understand…I can't tell them, not yet. Richard will fly off the handle, telling me that I've left myself susceptible to post-patrol attack. I can't handle that just yet. I mean, she's not evil…I don't think she ever was, but I need some time to show that to everyone else."

"Ok. I'll keep your secret," Gar told him with a small smile. "Just, promise me you'll work up to it."

"I promise, man," Vic stated, clapping him on the back. "You're a good friend, you know that?"

"I know," Gar responded with a cocky smirk. "Tell her I say hi, will ya?"

"Will do," Vic responded, starting towards the door. "Oh and, Gar?"

"Yea, man?" he asked, following suit.

"Didn't know you were romantic enough to use a line like 'I'll always have her flying by my side'," he mocked, with a short chortle, before hurrying from the bathroom. And, in sight of Gar's rage, this was a good idea.

TT2 

"I don't want to go home, yet," Raven told Garfield as they walked from the restaurant about eight thirty that night.

"Good, coz I wasn't planning on it," he told her with a goofy grin. They crossed the street and Garfield instructed her to sit down on a bench. The Gothic woman did as she was told, and Garfield easily slipped off her heeled shoes. "C'mon."

He took her hand, her shoes in the other, and he led her down the stairs next to the sidewalk that led to Jump City's most popular beach.

"A nighttime beach walk?" Raven asked amusedly. "That sounds…romantic."

Gar smiled lovingly, before slipping off his own shoes and socks. "I try." He tugged on her hand and jumped down into the sand, feeling it slip through his toes. "Here," he told her, taking her shoes and hiding them in a small crack in the rock wall separating the sidewalk and the beach.

"I feel sixteen again," Raven laughed. "I'm getting too old."

"You're only twenty-nine," Gar told her matter-of factly, taking the hand that had somehow slipped away from his.

"I know, but…a fourth of my life has passed me by. We've been dating for so long, I just want to marry you now, settle down." Raven stopped prancing along the dry sand to turn to Gar. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. "I love you," she rasped. "And I don't want to spend another minute of my life without you."

"Neither do I, Rae," he told her softly, as her had laid on his collarbone. The lightning bugs danced around them as they both tenderly kissed. "Close your eyes."

Raven did as she was told, thoroughly confused. What was he trying to do? She heard no noises, only the waves lapping upon the shore and pulling back out to sea.

"You can open your eyes," he told her as he rested his warm palms over her eyes. "But hold on." He led her a little ways away, before turning her ninety degrees and stopping. His hands fell off of her eyes to reveal a stunning sight. Lightning bugs were lined up in letters in front of her eyes, spelling out a simple phrase: 'Will you marry me?"

"Garfield," Raven gasped, her hand coming up to rest over her open mouth.

"I know we both assumed we'd get married, but I hadn't officially asked you and-" but Garfield was cut off by Raven swiftly turning around and pressing her lips to his. "So that's a yes?" Gar asked dazedly as they pulled away.

"That's a yes," Raven confirmed, kissing him again under the moonlight.

**TT2**


	9. A LOVEly Birthday Present

**A/N**: I am so very sorry about my seven-week hiatus. I've been so busy, but hopefully (since I've already written four more chapters) I will get the next few chapters out quickly, and continue that way. I have a plotline forming in my head, and I have to make sure it's where I want to go before I make any mistakes when posting. This chapter and the next are key to Clara (and a little bit of Sara's) past. I hope you enjoy it, and soon I will explain the other Titans' pasts.

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans are not mine, thank you very much. I'm gonna go cry in a corner now cuz God hates me.

**TT2**

Kimi awoke the next morning, in an overly peppy mood. Today was her fourteenth birthday, but she would still be the youngest of the Titans. Kyle was sixteen, his birthday being September first; Taku was sixteen, his birthday being July ninth; Danny was fourteen, his day of birth the sixteenth of April; Sara and Clara were fifteen, turning sixteen on December second.

Kimi tried to move, but felt something on her legs. She looked up, to see a large bouquet of Crektars, a beautiful Tamaranian plant like turquoise roses. Kimi cooed in delight, picking them up and inhaling their infectious scent. They smelt like a mixture between peppermint and vanilla, which reminded Kimi of how Danny constantly smelt.

The young Tamaranian girl picked the card from the top of the bouquet and opened it with swift ease. It read:

Kimi-

Fourteen reasons to be happy it's your birthday…

14. Never know if there's a surprise party around the corner

13. I get to see the look of joy on your face when you get my Crektars

12. We get to party all day

11. It's an excuse to have Kyle give us the day off from training

10. CAKE!

9. We're finally both fourteen

8. It's the first birthday we'll celebrate in Titan's tower

7. You get to see all of our old friends at your party today

6. You get treated like the princess you are

5. CAKE!

4. Your parents will be visiting you

3. You have a reason to be lazy all day (what's Clara's excuse?)

2. You get gifts!

1. I'll be showering you with love and attention all day

-Danny

Kimi jumped from her bed, kicking her midnight blue silk sheets off in the process. "DANNY!" she shrieked, running barefoot in her gray wifebeater and midnight blue sleeping pants with little silver moons and stars interlaced on them. Silly as it seemed, these pants reminded her of the bond she and her mother shared.

"What?" his faint voice came, from no doubt the living room. Kimi sped up her legs, running into the living room and watching him walk around the couch. This all happened just in time for him to get knocked back by Kimi, making them both land on the floor.

"I love you," she whispered, tears of joy in her eyes. "You got me Crektars. They have to be the rarest. I've only seen them once in my life." Kimi shut up for one second to press her lips to his. "You are the best."

"I know," Danny told her, his voice soft and his eyes shining. "Y-You love me?" he asked.

Kimi blinked slowly, smiling dreamily. "Yea, I think I do."

"Not that this isn't tear-jerking or anything, but will someone PLEASE tell us what's going on?" Taku asked, with a lazy smirk on his face.

"My Dan-Dan is the BEST boyfriend EVER!" Kimi shouted with glee, kissing his face in many random places.

"Well," he said between kisses. "That"-kiss-"was a"-kiss-"given."

"But WHY is he the best boyfriend ever?" Sara asked exasperatedly, her hands on her hips. "Has anyone besides me noticed that they both failed to mention that?"

"Because he got me Crektars!" Kimi squealed.

There were blank stares from the other three teenagers in the room. "I think this goes without saying, but what the hell are Crektars?" Taku asked, his eyebrow raised almost above his hairline.

"They're a very rare Tamaranian flower that look like turquoise roses," Danny told them with a knowing glance. "Her mom told me all about them, and I figured they'd be perfect."

"But how did her mom get some if they're so rare?" Sara asked.

"They're very rare, yes, but they're not unavailable. They're sold on Tamaran all the time, costing up to 35 Kronkars and 105 Nintos. That roughly translates to one hundred and five dollars on Earth," Kimi told them, looking up for once from Danny's face.

"I gave her mom enough money, so she could give it to Galfore, so he could go back to Tamaran for three days to buy me some to give to Kimi," Danny stated proudly.

"So now you understand why I never answered when you asked me my favorite flower in seventh grade," Kimi chortled with a smile.

"Now that THAT is cleared up…" Kyle trailed off with a smirk. "Happy birthday, Kimi. Training is in half an hour in the gym. I'll go drag Clara's ass out of bed. The rest of you go get ready."

"Happy birthday, Kimbo," Taku chuckled as he passed her by, giving her a high-five. "The big one-four, that's impressive."

"Coming from Mr. Fifteen," Kimi retorted, sticking her tongue out as she stood up, brushed herself off, and helped Danny up.

"Thanks," he whispered.

"Thank you," Kimi replied, giving him another hug and a kiss. "Now, if I don't get ready now, I never will."

Kimi gave him one last kiss before starting off. Danny stood still for a moment, watching her retreating form, and smiling to himself.

"Clara," Kyle's voice rang in a singsong voice as he knocked on her door. "Get up. We have training to do." He was greeted with not a single answer. "Clara, you lazy butt," he joked.

He punched in the access code and entered her dark room. The eyes behind his sunglasses traveled up to the bed, where her form was sprawled on the bed under the covers.

"Clara!" he barked like a drill sergeant. Still nothing, except for a small twitch of her left foot, which was peaking out from under the covers. "God, your sister is so much easier to wake up. All you have to do is…" but he wasn't going to finish that sentence in case anyone was listening. He didn't want anyone to know he had read her entire file three times and figured out that to wake her up all you had to do was tickle the side of her neck or breath on her ear.

Kyle sighed. "CLARA!" This time, the gothic girl jumped, rolled over, and fell off of her bed.

"What? What?" she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes and untangling her legs from the black silk sheets of her bed.

"Training in twenty-five," he told her. "Wanted to make sure you were up."

"That's what you woke me up for?" she asked. "Are you crazy? I can sleep for 21 more minutes and still be down there before the others." Clara climbed back onto her bed and pulled the covers back over her barely clothed body, only in blood-red shorts and a black tank top. "Now get outta my room."

"Whatever," Kyle murmured. "If you're late, it's not my fault." Clara merely rolled her eyes and shut them tight.

TT2 

Twenty-five minutes later, Clara and Kyle were the only two down in the gym, while the others were still getting ready. Clara was dressed in a baggy pair of black cotton pants, a small pink heart with a dagger through it on the right side. Kyle was in a black spandex long-sleeve and a pair of cargo shorts.

"Want to spar?" Kyle asked with a tiny shrug.

"Whatever," Clara responded, trying to sound indifferent, but not sure if it really came out that way.

The pair set themselves up on the sparring mat, both about three paces away from each other. "Ok, on my signal," he told her. "One, two, three, GO!"

They began to fight, a close jab here and a roundhouse kick there. Kimi and Taku came in soon, sitting by the mat and watching their two teammates battle until a victory was pulled successfully from this battle of wits, agility, and endurance.

"Go Clara," Sara cheered on as she entered, followed by Danny a minute or two later who immediately took a seat next to Kimi. "Beat that weakling!" she joked.

Kyle turned to her for a half second and stuck his tongue out at her, before blocking a jab from Clara. He quickly swiped at her legs and left her on the ground, getting down on top of her and pinning her down with his elbow.

"ONE!" Sara yelled. "TWO!" And suddenly, Clara flipped Kyle over so she was lying on him, pinning him down.

"You're good," she commented. "But I'm better."

Kyle flipped Clara over once more, using his incredible strength to keep her there. "ONE!" Sara shouted. "TWO! THREE! Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!" Kyle stood up and Sara took his hand and held it in the air. "I present to you, Ladies and Gentleman, Kyle Williams, AKA Hawk, winner of the Kyle versus Clara tournament!"

Clara growled. "You won this time, Williams, but I will get you back. I promise."

"Whatever," Kyle drawled, rolling his eyes behind his sunglasses.

Clara half smiled, walking forward to shake his hand in sportsmanship. "Good job…I guess," she told him. "But, why do you insist on wearing those silly sunglasses while training?" Clara moved to slip them off, but his hands came up and firmly placed themselves on either side of the lenses.

"The glasses stay on," he stated stolidly.

Clara raised her eyebrow.

"The glasses stay on," he repeated. "My eyes are my identity. I don't reveal my identity to anyone," he told her, visibly stiffening. "Now let's get training," he announced, in an effort to change the subject. "You girls remember what I told you yesterday?" He pointed to Sara and Clara.

"Yup," they both replied, though Sara's reply was a bit more enthusiastic.

"Good," Kyle stated, his gaze lingering on Sara, letting a small smile work its way across his lips. Sara inconspicuously returned this gesture. "Kimi, remember what I said about your eyebeams. I'll be working on my sprinting, a valuable asset in fast-paced crime. Taku, I want you to be working on your facial features, like stretching your ears to listen to far-away conversations or stretching your eyes to watch something happening. Danny, I want you to be working on controlling your powers with your mind instead of your willpower and/or hands."

They all nodded at their leader's directions, before setting off to do their own thing. Sara and Clara took a space on a mat near a set-up of weights. Kimi took a spot near a vacant punching bag. Kyle took up a treadmill. Danny took the punching bag next to Kimi's, while Taku took a mat near Sara and Clara's.

Within minutes, they were all working diligently. Kimi had sheared her punching bag apart, having Clara repair it.

"Thanks," she grunted, deeply involved in her aim.

"No prob," Sara replied, as she pulled up a force field over herself and let Clara throw small weights at it with her levitating spell.

What seemed like hours later, the six had finished their training for the day and retired to the living room while Kyle made a fast lunch. It would include turkey sandwiches for Taku, Kimi, Danny, and himself and fried tofu and rice for Sara and Clara.

"It's my birthday, and I say we watch reruns of Teen Titans on the TiVo!" Kimi squealed excitedly, taking a comfortable position next to Danny, which included interlacing their fingers and resting her head on his shoulder.

"I second that!" Taku called. "It's the most hilarious thing I've ever seen, I swear."

"Ok," Sara affirmed, picking up the remote and tuning into the TiVo library. "Now the question is: what episode shall we watch today: she asked everyone, looking around. Kimi seemed to be thinking, Danny was still smiling down at her, and Clara was reading one of her spell books on the corner of the couch.

"Let's watch Date with Destiny. That is the single most adorable episode of my parents that I have ever seen," Kimi announced with a small smile on her face.

"Aw that episode is adorable!" Sara cooed, excitedly pressing a few buttons, before the show began. "And I would say birthday girl gets priority of what episode we watch anyways," she reasoned.

"Yay," Kimi squealed, leaning back onto the couch.

"You are so adorable," Danny cooed with a smile, leaning back next to her as her head returned to his shoulder.

The show started, with Killer Moth in the beginning, working up to the main theme song and into the first fight scene. Soon Kyle had come out with the sandwiches and tofu and rice, setting it on the table for people to munch on.

"Thanks Kyle," Sara and Clara told him in unison, smiling sweetly (though Clara's was only slight and small).

"Ooh I could've taken that," Taku puffed, motioning to the scene where Robin had been hit with Fang's venom and his body had tensed up, leaving him to fall to his doom.

"You could not," Kyle retorted. "That's not possible!"

"I'm not affected by venoms and poisons. I'm nearly invincible," he told them. "Remember?" He smirked. "I could jump from this window, and not a scratch would appear on my body. Watch. Sara, open that window."

"Hesberek Neekreter," she chanted, and one of he smaller windows flew open.

"Taku…" Clara started unconfidently. "Might that be a tad too dangerous?"

"I promise I can do it Clara," he reassured you. I've done it before, not on such a large level, but I've done it. It's easy really."

"Not on such a large level? This has to be about two hundred feet up. You said the highest you've jumped is from about fifty feet up. It really might be dangerous," she warned him. "Don't do it."

Taku sighed. "I'll be fine, MOM!"

"Taku…." Despite her protests, the rubber-man took a start near the end of the couch, poised in front of the open window.

"If you live I'll pay you twenty bucks," Danny joked.

"Aren't you going to stop him?" Clara asked Kyle hysterically, gesturing wildly towards him.

"I know what Taku can do," Kyle responded. "I am confident in him. Like he said, he's nearly invincible."

Clara still looked uneasy as he counted down from five. "Five…"

"Taku…"

"Four…"

"Please…"

"Three…"

"Don't-"

"Two…"

"You really-"

"One…"

Taku took off on a sprint for the window.

"STOP!" Clara yelled, so loud that it rang throughout the tower and reverberated off the walls and in her ears. It seemed much louder after it left her lips than when she had played it in her mind. Tears laced her hazel eyes as she looked at him with fearful eyes.

"Clara…" he trailed off. "What's wrong?"

And what she said next surprised everyone, even herself. "You. You're sick. You keep toying with me like this, but you know you have to listen to me. You know you're going to kill yourself one day. You think you can do these things. You think you can do these things, Sean, but you just CAN'T!" she screamed desperately, a flashback running in her mind just before her eyes. The memories hit her with a powerful force and she almost fell back, but regained herself.

The room fell silent. Sara let out a sharp breath. "Clara…" she breathed.

But Clara realized her mistake and her eyes went wide, betraying her normally stolid demeanor. The gothic witch backed up, into the couch, before turning and running from the room.

And all but one in that room had no idea what Clara was talking about.

TT2 

I hope you enjoyed. Thanks to my loyal reviewers!


	10. Party Hardy

**Valda**: Good point, and I know. Instead of you seeing that, I was hoping to convey that he won't show himself (his full self) to anyone but Sara. (Besides the fact that it is unmentioned that he has paranoia that someone is watching him, a hint that will soon come in handy!)

**A/N**: I have big ideas for both the adults and teenagers, so don't think this is a purely romance story. I am actually just building up a beginning before I get into the real action. I hope y'all like where I'm going with this story!

**Disclaimer: **

Me: Teen Titans are not mine. I'm going to go ask my psychotic teammate to bash my head in with her Lacrosse stick until they are mine.

Fans: How will that help?

Me: I don't know. It'll jog my brain cells so I can think of an idea how to own them. I always do it whenever I need an idea and it always works forrrr meeee…trails off into a drool-ful concussion

Fans: uhh…backs away slowly

TT2 

"Richard!" Kori squealed nervously, rushing about her house with three bowls and two bottles in her arms. "They are almost here! Are you ready?"

"Kor, cool your jets. They won't be here for another ten minutes. We have time, I promise!" he called from their bedroom, where he was pulling on a pair of jeans over his swim trunks.

"My jets are cooled!" she retorted frantically, slinking outside and spreading the various treats across a glass coffee table.

Richard came jogging out onto the patio a few minutes later, before their majestic pool and garden. "It's an expression, babe. You don't have jets."

"How are you to know?" she asked skeptically, crossing her now free arms over her chest. "You did not know I had eight more stomachs than you, what else might you not know about me?"

Richard sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Ok, Kor, let's do it this way." Richard came forward and enveloped her small body in his arms "Calm down, hun. It'll be fine. I know it's your first party not including royal parties you've had on Tamaran, but it'll be fine. It's just Gar, Rae, and Vic." He imbued her with a great sense of accomplishment, and he could see her face light up considerably. "They don't care about the party. They care about spending time with us. Calm down." He pressed his lips to her forehead.

The doorbell rang and Kori's fears came back as she squealed in surprise. "Now go be a good little hostess and let our guests in," he joked, giving her a small and heartwarming hug.

Kori smiled feebly. "Thank you."

"Anytime, babe," he cooed, before stretching out on a lounge chair and flipping a pair of sunglasses over his eyes.

A few moments later, Kori came back with Garfield, Raven, and Victor at her heels. "Hey Richy," Victor greeted, giving his friend a high five which turned into a manly hug. "How goes it?"

"Just fine, man," Richard replied. "Hey Rae, hey Gar," he greeted his other best friends, sitting up from his lounge chair and peering at them through his sunglasses. His eyes traveled down to their intertwined hands. "Heard about your little beach escapade last night. Way to go, Gar," Richard told him nonchalantly.

Garfield turned a bright hue of crimson. "How'd you know? We haven't told anyone!"

"Damn, man, it was all over the news," Victor stated, throwing his stuff on a chair next to Richard's and joining the conversation. "Even I picked that up when I was…" Victor trailed off and turned slightly pink, before mumbling, "Err never mind."

"When you were what?" Raven asked, having just spoken up for the first time.

"When I was at home last night. I turned on the news and I saw the footage of you two making out on the beach," he replied calmly. "I can believe you two went at it without even realizing there was a Paparazzi around."

Garfield let out a laugh harder than intended and earned a glare from Victor, and strange looks form everyone else. "Ahh…sorry," he responded in a small voice, managing a weak smile and turning red yet again. "Nervous reaction."

"Ok then…" Richard trailed off. "Let's go swim now!"

Everyone agreed unanimously, as Raven asked Gar what had happened. He replied with a very vague shrug, before pulling off his black shirt and his cargo shorts. Richard kicked off his jeans and waited for Kori to slowly and accurately untie the ties on her intricately designed tank top, and unbutton and pull down her jeans. "Urgh!" he grunted when she was finally in nothing but her bathing suit. "You take too long!" he groaned, before taking the initiative to scoop her up and throw her petite body over his shoulder

"Let me down!" Kori shrieked, thrashing and beating upon his back. "Kreknar perta nui setrax mela…" Kori continued to rant in Tamaranian and beat on his back until Richard had pulled her back and thrown her in the pool. She came up sputtering and-obviously-wet. Reverting to her old ways, the woman fueled up a Starbolt and shot at her fiancée, but he dodged it and chuckled. Caught off-guard, though, she shot again and hit him right in the leg.

"Oww!" he moaned in pain, hobbling to the edge of the pool to sit down. "You burned my bad knee!"

"You are lucky," she hissed. "That was NOT my original target."

"Hey, if you want any more children you best no be aiming for my-" he started, but was cut off by Raven.

"Ok, I am pretty sure none of us want to hear you finish that sentence," she deadpanned. Richard whimpered a little before submerging his burned knee in water and then slipping into the shallow end of the pool. This was followed by a "Cowabunga!", and a large splash as Vic cannon-balled into the pool. Vic swam to where his four friends congregated and rose from the water, with droplets dripping off his head.

"I jumped in to avoid hearing a sentence that would most likely scar me for life," he joked, grinning wickedly. "Thank God I jumped in when I did, or I might've-" he stopped, gave a fake shudder, and grinned again.

"Hey, Vic, Man, what mauled your back?" Richard asked suddenly, swimming over to him.

"What do ya mean?" he asked casually, though he had a pretty good inkling what his friend was talking about. Richard frowned as he stood in front of Victor's back, tracing the scratches that started at the highest point of shoulders and went down to the bottom of his tensed shoulder blades.

"I mean did you get into a fight with a lawnmower? These look fucking raw," he stated, withdrawing his hand.

"Oh, man, I nearly forgot," Victor faked, turning around to face Richard, and Kori gasped as she took a good look at his back. "I was paying rent today-y'know old Mrs. Smithers-and her Great Dane was playing around with me and accidentally scratched my back. She offered to patch me up, but I told her I'd do it myself because I was running late. I guess I forget to do so."

Richard's eyes bugged. "Violent dog."

"Naw, he's just playful," Victor told him. "I barely felt it, though. The skin's tough, thanks to the realistic holographic projector on my new and improved holo-rings. Technology has come so far I'm proud to say I could very well look, sound, feel, smell, and taste human soon."

"Taste?" Richard asked, a semi-interested eyebrow raised.

"Er-hah-I got caught up in the moment," he chuckled nervously. "But, technically, if someone were to lick me-" Victor glared at Garfield, who had burst into laughter "-not like that you sick-o!-I would taste human."

"Lovely," Raven stated sarcastically. "I needed to hear that."

Victor chuckled, leaning back and swimming about in the shallow end. "Aw, Rae, cut the guy a break, it's not his fault he hasn't gotten laid in a while."

Victor looked taken aback at his best friend stating something so bold, but let it go. "Yes it is," Raven retorted with an evil smile.

"You're very nice," Gar told her. "Maybe if you're gonna be mean like that, I'll sleep on the couch tonight."

"Well maybe I'll just have to…" she trailed off and moved to jump on his back. "Jump you!"

"Ok, something WE could've lived without," Victor retorted with a smirk. "Just so you know. Right?" he asked of his two friends, and they both smirked and nodded in agreement.

"Uh, not like you two haven't ever been like that," Raven told them in a knowing tone. "So don't even think about making fun of us for it."

Victor laughed as he watched this exchange, but the ringing of his cell phone broke the silence. It was the song he had heard when he went to meet Jenna at the club. "Ooh hold on," he told them, jumping from the pool and shaking himself dry real quickly, before digging into his bag for his cell phone.

"Yello?" he asked as he flipped open the phone and pressed it to his ear, which was full of water. "Wait a sec." He tapped the other side of his head in hopes of getting the excess water out. "Yello?"

"Hey babe," a voice purred on the other line.

"Hey there," he replied, his voice getting deeper as he slid back onto a lawn chair. "What up?"

"I'm on break at work and dead bored. Neither Matt nor Jimmy got the same lunch shift as me, and everyone else went out to eat. They invited me, but I told them I'd hang back in case Jones needed me to start working earlier than one," she explained. Jenna leaned back on the bench she was currently perched upon, and began swinging her bare legs back and forth.

"Sounds like fun," he responded, pulling up a knee and resting his arm upon it.

"It is when I get to talk to you," she cooed. "What are you up to?"

"I'm having a little pool party with the Titans, at Richard and Kori's house," he told her. "Ahh, they saw your…souvenirs…on my back," he whispered this so the other Titans wouldn't hear.

"Oh…" she whispered in a small voice, blushing. "Sorry."

"I'm not," he replied in a throaty voice.

"Well, then," she purred. "Tonight…there's a club in upper Jump City. Me and a few of my buddies are regulars there. You up for it?"

"Definitely can't wait," he responded, his eyes traveling to his friends who had now engaged in a small game of Chicken. "And maybe afterwards," he whispered. "We can head back to my place and…well…I think you can fill in the blanks."

"Sounds like fun. I get out at five, so I'll be ready by seven. Meet us at The Chill tonight at seven-thirty. Tell the bouncer who's working, Big Mac, that Jenna sent you. He'll let you in," she told him. "Don't party too much today or you'll be too worn out to party with me tonight."

"I'd never dream it," he told her.

"Can I ask you something?" Jenna began in a small voice, working up the courage to ask the question she had thought about for the past few days.

Victor was puzzled for a moment. "Anything. Shoot."

"The Titans…your friends…they don't know about us, do they?" she asked him softly.

Victor sighed once he pieced together what the real meaning behind that statement was. She didn't care about them knowing, he knew that. She cared about them accepting their relationship. "Gar is the only one that knows. I haven't had the courage to tell anyone else, because though Kori would trust you, she would immediately tell Richard who would tell Raven, and they are the two least trusting of the bunch. You're special to me, Jenna, you really are, but I need some time before I'm ready to tell them how special you are to me. Please believe me."

"I believe you, Vic," she stated softly, smiling tenderly and feeling her eyes water slightly. "You know, you're the first guy to ever treat me this special."

"I don't see why. You deserve to be treated as extraordinary as you are," he whispered. "Look, Rich is coming over so I have to go. I'll see you tonight though. Bye."

"See you tonight. Bye baby," she replied before the other line clicked and she was gone. Victor sighed and flipped his phone shut, before putting a fake smile on.

"Hey man," he said to Rich, putting his phone back into his bag and standing up.

"Who was that?" Richard asked, walking back to the pool with his long-time friend. "You were on the phone for-like-five minutes. Is that your little girlfriend Bee?"

"Naw, man," he told him. "I forgot to tell y'all, Bee and I broke up."

"What?" Richard asked, his eyes bugging as he stopped in his tracks. "You're kidding. Why? I thought everything was going along fine, why did you two give up what you had?"

Victor sighed. "Well, I guess we both felt that while we were so far away, it'd be hard to keep faithful to each other when now in the real world. We didn't want to do anything we regretted, so I guess we just needed to see other people," he told him.

"Hey, guess what" Richard announced to the occupants of the pool. "Vic here's a single man."

"What?" Kori asked in disbelief, swimming over to where he sat delicately upon the edge. She crossed her arms on his lap and rested her chin upon them, looking up at him. "You and Karen have split up?"

"Yea, we decided to move on and see different people…who knows, we might get back together, but for now, I'm a free man," he told them all, grinning widely. He and Garfield shared furtive glances.

It was their little secret, for now.

TT2 

"Dear Azar, I am wiped," Raven whined as she arrived home at near five that night with Garfield. She collapsed on the couch, on top of her fiancée.

"You're on me," he commented, muffled into her hair.

"I know," she chuckled. "I was too lazy to walk over to the other couch."

"I can see that," he replied, blowing her hair out of the way and wrapping his arms around her petite waist. "And now you're on me."

"So I've heard," she replied, gently rolling over to face him. Raven pressed her lips to his. "And now I'm kissing you."

"Ooh, I'm beginning to like this," he cooed, leaning up to kiss her softly again. She entangled her hands in his green hair, which had been revealed when he discarded his holo-ring upon a nearby table.

The doorbell rang throughout their apartment. Raven sighed and stood up form her rather comfortable spot upon Garfield. He began whining and sat up as she walked to the door. "And I'm beginning to dislike this," he whimpered, scrambling up and grabbing her around the waist.

Raven squealed and laughed at the same time, her hands resting over his on her stomach. "You psycho, let me get the damn door," she chuckled, walking to the door with him behind her, his chin rested on her exposed shoulder.

"Never will I ever let you do anything without me. Ever," he told her, chuckled, as she pulled at the knob and let the door glide open.

A small frame stood in the door, about 5' 5", with long sun-bleached hair and small freckles dotting her pretty face. Her blue eyes shined with tears.

"Beast Boy?" her voice quivered. The man before her let his arms fall from his fiancée's waist and his previous smile dropped.

"Terra?"

TT2 

Victor was walking into The Chill that night, striding with one hand in his pocket and the other running over his head, a smile across his lips.

"Hey man," one of Jenna's friends, Matty, greeted. "Sup?" he adjusted his sideways baseball cap and gave Vic a sly smirk. "Jenna's waitin' for you. Better get in there before she gets anymore impatient. She's not a fun girl when she's impatient."

"Trust me, I know that," Vic responded with a chuckle. Matty moved to give him a high-five and Victor returned the gesture. He realized Matty had a long, raw scar running down his palm and turned back to ask him about it, but he disappeared.

Victor shrugged and supposed he must've cut himself or something. Sure it was nothing important, he let it go as he journeyed towards the center of the club. Loud, pulsing Kanye West music was coming from the clubroom, in the form of his popular song "Golddigger".

Victor entered the main room to see Jenna dancing in a pack of her close girlfriends, with a few of the boys he had met the other night. "Hey you," he greeted, coming up next to her and giving her a quick hug and a tender kiss.

"Hey there," Jenna greeted in a seductive voice. She was clad in tight blue-jeans, a black corset top, and a black choker with a pale pink amulet. "Glad to see you could get away from the Titans for a while to see your favorite sorceress."

"Ooh…" he started jokingly. "Who said you were my favorite sorceress?"

"I supposed you did the other night when you said-" her voice got progressively louder, and Victor knew what she was about to say. Hastily, he covered her mouth and grinned sheepishly.

"Ok, you win. Just…don't say that out loud in public," he told her, turning slightly pink. Jenna smirk as Victor removed his hand. "Now, then," he started casually. "I came here to dance with my girl, and I hope that's what I get to do now."

"But of course," she replied, her smirk turning into a small grin. She threw her arms around his neck, and began swaying her hips back and forth, noticed by the pack of girlfriends she had been dancing with before.

"Ooh. Jenna's got a boyfriend!" one of them cooed, before laughing.

"Oh yeah, real funny," Jenna retorted. "I don't see you with anyone, Cassie!"

The girl named Cassie promptly shut her mouth, and Victor chuckled. "Great control you have over your friends there," he whispered in her ear. Jenna smiled and shrugged. "It must be a gift. Synonymous to your many other gifts."

"You can say that again," she purred.

"Since when did innocent-well, not so innocent-little Jinx from the HIVE become such a frisky little sex Goddess?" he asked in a surprised tone, an eyebrow raised.

"Ever since I met you," she replied, her voice merely a baritone hum as they continued dancing. The song eventually melded into Missy Elliot's "Lose Control". The dancing was now more fast-paced, but Vic's stance hadn't changed, with his arm still around her waist.

"Shit!" Vic cursed aloud as the song came to an end and melded into something he had never heard before. In the doorway, standing tall and unmistakable, were two people he was sure he did NOT want to see right now: Richard and Kori.

"What's wrong?" Jenna asked, following his gaze to the two former Titans standing in the doorway. "Oh shit."

"Yea. I can't let them see me. Rich will blow a fucking fuse!" he hissed, grabbing her hand and staying low to try to evade the pair. The two had successfully gotten to the other side of the room, far away from both Titans, when Victor spoke up. "I'm so sorry," he said, a melancholy look on his face. "I just…I treasure their friendship, and I don't to ruin it over you. Because I treasure you too."

"It's fine. I understand, Vic. I just…y'know, being me, I don't care, so I would willingly walk up to them, slap them both in the face, and tell them we're dating whether they like it or not." Victor chuckled as they continued their dancing routine.

"I just don't get it. It seems like my friends are stalking me. I see Gar and Rae at the restaurant, and now I see Kori and Richard at the club. I have my own personal bodyguards, when I can clearly take care of myself," he told her, with an over-exaggerated roll of the eyes.

Jenna giggled endearingly and kissed him. "Maybe it's just a strike of bad luck." So no one else could see, Jenna pulled their bodies closer and fired up a ball of pink energy between them. "You do believe in bad luck, right?"

"Not ever since I met you, Jenna," he replied, kissing her back.

TT2 

The night found Victor and Jenna lying on a blanket in the grass at a local park, at about eleven. They had successfully evaded Kori and Richard the whole night, and after a few close calls, called it a night for the club and moved on. They had retired to the park, and had been sitting there ever since.

"I think we should spend some time outside of the club," Jenna stated.

"Me too. I didn't want to say it and sound like a loser, though," he replied, blushing slightly.

"How about…I cook dinner for the two of us tomorrow night…just you and me?" she suggested, with a soft and genuine smile, turning around from lying on her back to hover over Vic slightly.

"I thought you couldn't cook?" he replied, an eyebrow raised.

"Well, I might've exaggerated a bit. I can cook, just not that well. It shouldn't be that hard if I follow a recipe," she replied confidently. "So what do you say?

"That sounds nice," he supposed. "And then afterwards, we can go back to my place, maybe watch the football game on new plasma-screen."

"You like football?" Jenna asked.

"Love it," he replied with a toothy grin.

"Awesome. Sounds like a plan."

They fell into silence once more.

"Hey Vic," Jenna started softly, curling up to his warmth as he adjusted his arm around her shoulders. They were both contemplating while looking towards the star-dotted sky.

"Yeah?" he asked back, his head lolling to rest upon the crown of hers.

"Do you believe in love at first fight?" she asked, trying hard to keep her straight and contemplative face.

"What?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing. He retracted just a little bit to look her in the eyes, seeing her pinkish-hazel orbs were shining up at him. The small smile previously etched into her features lowered into a knowing smirk.

"Y'know…love at first fight," she repeated as if she used this term this casually everyday. Jenna laid her head on his chest and let him entangle his fingers in her long, straight hair. "I do. I believe that the first fight I ever fought you in was when I began to like you."

Victor chuckled and trailed his large, dark hand down to her face to stroke her milky skin. "It's a funny thing…I'm believing in things like these more and more everyday. But I think when I was really first impacted by you was…the fall formal. I remember Gizmo had a fit when he saw us together, and when you tricked him by telling him we were together. That fake-out make-out was the best moment of my life at that time."

Jenna smiled to herself and cuddled closer to him, purring contentedly. "Me too, Vic. Me too."

**TT2**


	11. A Past Uncovered

**A/N**: This chapter has an element of true-life. On Friday a classmate of mine was killed by a drunk driver. I didn't know her that well personally, but it still hit me, all of my friends, my sister, and everyone else I know very harshly. This chapter is dedicated to her.

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans are not mine, but I sure wish Kid Flash were (That kid is sexxxxxxxay).

**IMPORTANT A/N (PLEASE READ!)**: I have changed this chapter slightly, but the changes I have made are important to the story.

**TT2**

"I'll go talk to her," Sara stated, brushing back locks of her thick blonde hair. Sara started forward, but Taku stopped her abruptly.

"No, I'll go after her," Taku told them, already on his way out the door. "I think I'm the one that needs to talk to her at the moment." He left the room and began walking, his mind racing for any possibility to explain this very weird occurrence. What was wrong with Clara?

Taku walked silently through the hallway that held all of their bedrooms. He came upon the one that read 'CLARA' in big, bold letters and knocked hesitantly upon it. "Clara, are you in there?" he asked.

"Go away!" she shouted. "I don't want to talk about it!"

"Are you sure?" Taku asked, voice softening, hearing the pain lacing hers. Clara may not be the friendliest person he ever met, but deep down there was a nice girl in that body of hers. He just needed to find it.

"Positive. Go away!" she retorted, her voice slightly muffled.

Taku sighed. "I didn't want to do this." He reached for the keypad next to her door and punched in the access code. It wouldn't slide open, which meant she had engaged the keypad override. The door would only open form the inside. "I didn't want to do this either."

Taku sighed in defeat and sunk, as if he had melted, to the floor. His flattened body slipped under the crack of her door and stretched upward, composing into his form once again.

"Clara?" he asked of the sobbing form creating a lump in the middle of her bed.

"I thought I told you to go away!" her muffled voice screamed as she stuffed her face farther into her pillow. "Now go before I make you!"

"Clara, I'm worried about you. Is that so terrible that you have to push me away? I want to make sure you're alright," he told her softly, sitting next to her petite form and laying a delicate hand on her back.

She made no response, but only sobbed harder. "I care, Clara. The things I said to you the other day might not exactly make it seem so, but I really do care. I'm sorry you can't see that, or you just don't want to acknowledge it."

Clara's face slowly peeked up, her eyeliner and mascara both smeared down her cheeks, tears dripping down her face, and blotches on her forehead. "It's not fair, y'know?" she cried, a fresh wave of sobs surfacing in her throat. "It's not fair." The Gothic girl turned around and sat up, so she was sitting next to him facing the other way. She rested her head on his shoulder and began to weep once more.

"What's not fair?" he asked softly, his arm coming up to wrap around the side of her waist. He patted her back comfortingly.

"It's not fair how you look so much like him, and you act so much like him, and yet…I can't get it through my mind that you're not him. I can't kiss you and hold him like I did to him. I can't laugh for hours on end from something you said. It's not FAIR!" Clara began crying harder still, beating upon Taku's shoulders with tremendous force.

"Who's 'him'?" he asked softly. "Is that Sean?" That was the name Clara had accidentally called him.

"Yes," Clara responded, pulling her head up and sniffing. She looked him in the eye and wiped away her tears. "I guess it would make the most sense if I started from the beginning."

Clara pulled back and squeezed her knees to her chest, sniffing every few moments. "It all started when I was eight. I lived in a town just south of Gotham called Fairfield. Sara and I had both let our powers slip in the town we had previously lived in, and we had to flee before anyone had asked questions. The thing was, neither of us knew we could do magic until after we moved and our parents told us. They said they had been waiting until we were mature enough, and felt that since we were wondering what had happened, we had a right to know what was going on."

Taku nodded in understanding. "It must've been hard moving away from everything you had lived with."

"It was," she told him sadly. "But then I started school there. Naturally, my sister was a social butterfly. She had plenty of friends by our third week there. She was really my only friend. No one accepted me, and none of her friends liked me. While she had sleepovers and went to birthday parties, I would sit in my room reading my spell books and brewing up potions, listening to them talk about boys with cooties while listening to N'Sync."

Taku's eyes softened and he rested his hand on the arm that was wrapped around her calves. "But then, one day, when I was sitting alone at a lunch table because one of her friends had taken my seat at her lunch table, a guy came up to my table and sat next to me. He smiled sweetly and introduced himself as Sean Montgomery. He said he saw me sitting alone and felt like coming over and talking to me."

Clara sighed and rested her face in her arms, sniveling. "It's hard to talk about him, isn't it?" Taku asked, as she lifted her head and watched him intently. Slowly, she nodded, wiping away her tears.

"Well, to continue, we soon became very close friends. He was my only friend at that school, besides my sister. But, as the years rolled on, and as I grew into seventh grade, I became more popular, and I began to acquire new friends. Of course, no one could hold a candle to the relationship I had with Sean. The beginning of freshman year, we both finally confessed to having feelings a bit more than friendly towards each other. I think I was the happiest I had ever been when we were together." Clara heaved another sigh. "We stayed together throughout most of the school year. February fourteenth, Valentine's day, of our freshman year, something…happened."

Taku pulled his knees up and rested his forearms upon them, letting her knee rest against his. "What happened? Like…an accident or something?"

"It was an accident," she told him. "His brother Dante had gotten his license two months prior, and they decided to go out for some Wendy's on a Saturday night. A drunk driver hit them on the passenger side of the car. Dante got off with a broken leg, a broken nose, and two broken fingers. Sean was left badly, badly injured, on the brink of death. The minute Sean was allowed to see anyone, I was in his room, having his mom lie that I was his sister. She knew what a strong bond we had, and told me she couldn't bear to see me torn in pieces while his family got to visit him. So, the second I saw him, I began kissing him and hugging him and telling him he'd be ok." Clara looked away. "Either way, I started looking up spells and potions I could use to keep him alive. I was going to brew an endless life potion, but that would be more of a curse than a gift. Instead, I tried brewing up a very strong healing potion, made from the most intricate of ingredients. When it was merely seconds from being finished, I got a call from his mother that he had just died."

Clara closed her eyes and willed away unshed tears, but they streamed down her rosy red cheeks either way. "It wasn't fair," she wailed, throwing her arms around Taku and nuzzling her head into his shoulder. "I could've saved him and he died." Clara pulled away and looked up at him through thick black lashes. "A month later, I found a passage in one of my potion books that stated the soul lives in the body for twenty-four hours after someone dies, and then it is reincarnated. I found the recipe for a potion that could've restored his soul in his body and kept him alive while I gave him the other potion to heal him, but it was too late. I could've saved him, but…somehow I missed that little section."

"It hurts, doesn't it?" he asked softly, letting her cry into his shoulder again. "Losing someone. I lost mywhole family in a house fire when I was three.Losing someone you love is always the hardest thing to get through. You always feel so responsible for it."

"He was the only person I had ever loved," she told him off-handedly. "Well-the only person I had ever romantically loved."

"So…how did this lead up to what happened today in the living room?" Taku asked. "I mean-you just screamed at me, but you used his name. Is there something I should know?"

"Well, Sean could have been your twin," she told him. Clara pulled away, and slipped her frail form off of her bed. Deftly, she moved to her dresser and her delicate hands traveled over the smooth mahogany and pulled out the first drawer. She produced a large leather-bound book and returned to her former spot on the bed with it in her hands.

"What's that?" Taku asked as she sat before him and placed the book between them.

"It's a photo album. I love to take pictures, and I keep every picture I've ever taken in here," she told him, opening up it's cover and turning to the first page. On it was a large picture of a boy that looked exactly like Taku, including raven hair and emerald eyes, with Clara's arms slung around his neck, and her ankles locked around his waist. He seemed to be giving her a piggy-back ride. "This was us the middle of our freshman year. We were walking home with a few friends and I complained about being tired. He offered to give me a piggy-back ride and the next thing I knew my friend Jodie had snapped a picture."

"Cute," Taku told her, watching her melancholy smile as she flipped the page. Taku took a look at the next page, which were random pictures of Sean and what he assumed to be her friends. "I can tell you loved him," Taku told her. "The way you smile when you see his picture, and the way you laugh when you're recalling things about him."

Clara smiled a muted smile, brushing a lock of maroon hair behind her ear. "I'm getting better now," she told him, looking up into his mesmerizing eyes. "I used to cry about him all the time, and he used to be all that was on my mind. I barely thought about him until you came into my life. I took a preconceived dislike for you, because I wanted to push you away. I thought if I let you too close, I'd start treating you like Sean and you'd get a little…weirded out by it."

"The only thing that weirded me out was you calling me Sean today," he told her. Taku watched as she averted her gaze from his. A lock of hair fell from behind her ear, into her face, and he brushed it away carefully. "But I understand now."

"It's bothered me so much. I thought I had gotten over him…I never wanted to, so I tried to mind-erase myself. Sara stopped me and told me it wasn't the death of him I should reflect on…it was the times we had together." Clara stopped for a second and sighed. "Sometimes she's too smart for her own good. But then, I came here, and all those feelings came rushing back as you looked so much like him and acted so much like him. It took all my self-control not to start hugging and kissing you right there," Clara let out a sardonic laugh. "So, I tried to push you away. I had a tendency to do that after his death. All my friends left me, because they said I was too obsessed with him, even after he was gone. I had no one but Sara."

Clara looked up. "You're the only person who knows this. Please don't tell anyone," she pleaded.

"I won't," he was hasty to swear. "I promise. I would never do that to you. Not after everything you've been through."

"Thanks," she replied, wiping her face. "Taku." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're the best," she whispered emotionally into his ear. "Thanks for everything."

"Clara," he started, watching her pull away to look him in the eye, her arms still around his neck. "It's no problem. I've got a serious problem about being accepted. The minute I met you, and the minute you shot down my first attempt at a civilized conversation, I knew I'd be fighting for your approval."

"Well…" Clara trailed off, managing a small smile through her slight sniffling. "You may not have it yet, but you're coming damn well close."

"And that's all I could ever ask for," Taku responded with his toothy grin, readjusting his lower half so one leg was dangling off the bed and the other was stretched out next to Clara. Clara readjusted herself so she was sitting cross-legged before him, her hands resting on her legs.

"So, now that you've heard about me and my past…Tell me a bit about yourself. How did you come to Jump City? How did you become a rubber-man?" Clara asked.

Taku smiled in reminiscence. "How long have you been-you know?-Gothic, like this?"

"Actually…my mother was a demon and my father was an angel. Not like an angel that was dead, though," she told him. "He was an angel sent to Earth to keep my mother from committing suicide when she was seventeen. My mother never technically wanted to be a demon, obviously no one does, but her father was a demon of death and his wife was a human. But her father cheated on her mother with Satan's wife, and she was born, raised by her mother on Earth after Satan's wife was banished in hell," Clara explained. "It's really confusing. But my mom, Sarelica, was sixteen when she was trying to get through high-school and normal life as a demon, and she realized that she wanted to die and go live in hell with my grandfather. Instead, my father was sent to Earth to help her through it, and they fell in love. They married, and Sara and I were the product of that relationship. My mother influenced me more, though I was both half-demon and half-angel, while Sara was influenced by our father. I have dressed the way I do for a very long time now, probably since I was born, to represent the darkness prophesized for my life and the dark magic contained in my body. The same goes for Sara with light magic."

"Wow," Taku responded. "Complicated. And very…interesting, for lack of better words. I happen to know that Raven is half-demon, too."

"Yea, my mom said she was one very well-known half-demon in hell. Everyone knew of Trigon, the prophecy, and everything," she told him.

Taku nodded. "Well, there's not much to my past. My parents, mybrother, and mysisterdied in a house fire, a grand arsony,when we lived in San Andreas, when I was three. I was found amongst the rubble andI wasgiven tomy legal guardians, my aunt and uncle Jan and Mark Turner. I went to work with my uncle constantly, for he was a prestigious scientist, and when I was seven I was involved in a chemical accident that disintegrated my bones and turned all my muscles, skin, and whatnot into rubber. A few days after my fourteenth birthday, I was, too, contacted by Batman," he told her. "He told me he admired my powers and wanted to recruit me for the new Teen Titans. I couldn't say no to that."

Clara nodded interestedly, watching him with tired eyes. "About your parents and your siblings…" Clara looked away. "I know what it's like to lose people close to you. There has been a lot of death in our lives."

"I'm sorry, Clara," he whispered hoarsely. "I never knew my parents, so it was hard growing up, and after Maria and Matthewdied it was unbearable. I often felt…alone, and isolated. It was hard being a kid at such a time. And well, life only got worse from there. Can you imagine there was an actual point in my life where I would've been suicidal if I could've died like anyone else?" Clara gasped. "I know. Can you imagine? Innocent, easygoing, carefree Taku actually wanted to die…I guess everyone has a dark side. There's a dualistic tone to everything."

"That's very…profound," Clara whispered. "I'm amazed."

Taku smiled through soft tears beginning to shine in his eyes. "I am too. Never thought something that intelligent could come from my mouth. You're beginning to have an effect on me."

"I hope so. You need an intelligent influence in your life," she told him with a coy smirk. Her smirk soon drifted from her face, though, as her palm came to rest upon his smooth and rubbery cheek. "And I'm sure as hell not talking about Danny. That boy is more dangerous than Hotspot in an oil field."

"I know, but he's keeping me company. I haven't felt lonely since I've joined the Titans. I feel…" Taku trailed off and tilted his head to the side, his eyes fluttering closed.

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

"Taku! Clara! Kimi's friends are arriving and I'd think you want to get ready for her party," a voice that sounded much like Kyle's announced.

"Yea, so stop doing whatever the hell you twos is doing and put the pedal to the metal! We're starting the party in fifteen whether you're there or not," Danny stated. The two sprang apart and looked to each other, blushing faintly.

"You probably wanna go get showered and changed," Clara told him. "I'll see you up in the living room in ten minutes."

"'Kay," he replied, sitting up from her bed and giving her a short embrace. "Remember…y'know, if you ever want to talk, or just hang out, my door's always open," he suggested with a soft smile.

"Right back at ya," she replied, not bothering to smile, but he knew she meant well. "Oh and Kyle?"

"Yea?" he asked, pausing at the frame of her door, one hand on the wall, his neck twisted around to meet her gaze. Clara smirked.

"Don't ever tell anyone I cried, or I'll have to rip your eyeballs out and use them to…well, you don't want me to finish that sentence. Ok?"

Taku smiled softly. "Deal."

And he left without another word.

Clara had showered and prepared about twenty minutes later, feeling fresh and ready for this party that would be no doubt filled with overly-peppy people. The Gothic girl was clothed in knee-high black boots with rather large heels, coupled with fishnet tights a black pinstriped skirt, and a maroon shirt that fell off her shoulders and made her look darkly elegant. Her hair was curled softer than normally (she had used a new spell on it for the occasion) and she had less amounts of eyeliner on than normal. She wanted to look what her father called 'decent' for this party.

"Ok…" Clara sighed to herself, straightening her skirt then reaching to her black wrought iron/glass vanity. Her pale and fragile hands nimbly picked up her eye shadow case, opened it up, and lightly brushed on some maroon eye shadow.

There was a light rapping on her bedroom door. "Clare? You ready, hun?" her sister asked. Clara breathed in and out, nervously picking a fuzz of lint from her shirt, before starting for her door. The minute she left, her lights automatically shut themselves off.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she responded, surveying her sister. Her counterpart was clad in a light denim skirt, a navy blue polo, and a white and navy track jacket, with a pair of white and blue sneakers laced tight on her feet. Her hair was done exactly as her sister's, and her make-up consisted of small amounts of eyeliner and blue eye shadow.

"You look…nice," her sister told her, though it was true she had a strong dislike for her and her mother's taste in clothing.

"And you look extremely peppy today," Clara replied with a sweet smile. "I just hope I live through a room full of preps."

"You'll live, I promise," Sara laughed, as Kyle walked from his room and joined them. He wedged himself between the two girls.

"Hey y'all," he greeted, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans and smiling from behind his dark sunglasses. "What's crackin?"

"Stop trying to be ghetto," Clara reprimanded him.

"Stop trying to get your freak on with Taku," he retorted with a sly smirk. Clara stared him down, a dangerously malicious look in her eyes as he practically shrank down beneath her gaze.

"Now that is one comment I know will NEVER slip from your mouth EVER again," she told him stolidly, walking on with a brisk stride. "Or I might just have to brew up a Cruxis Creenis potion."

"You wouldn't," Sara gasped, turning to Kyle and throwing her arms around his neck. "I won't let you!"

Kyle smirked. "Yeah, Sara won't let you!" he retorted, resting his hands on the arm that came across his upper chest. "Uh…what does a…potion-that-you-just-said do?"

"Cruxis Creenis?" Sara asked. Kyle nodded absently. "It's a horrible potion…complicated to brew…but basically it replaces your arms with your legs, your legs with your arms, your ears with your eyes, and your eyes with your ears. It makes it painful too. It's known as one of the cruelest potions in the magical world."

Kyle let out a scared 'eep'. "Oh, stop whining, you baby," Clara joked. "I wouldn't do that to you."

"What wouldn't you do to who?" Taku asked Clara as he joined them, next to her, in their journey up to the living room.

"I'm not so sure anymore," Clara stated through gritted teeth, glaring daggers at Kyle and Sara who were now giggling like little schoolgirls.

Taku raised his eyebrows in question, before sighing dejectedly and giving up any hope of understanding his childish friends.

The four arrived in the living room a few minutes later, seeing about five of Kimi's friends had already arrived for the party at seven. Kimi was sitting in Danny's lap, her long and tinted orange legs crossed, and her long arms wrapped around his neck. The birthday girl was clad in a black cargo skirt and a light blue long-sleeved shirt.

"It was so funny…" one of her friends laughed. "Tim walked right into the wall!"

"It wasn't my fault! I didn't see it!" the boy who was presumed Tim, a tall, brown-eyed boy with long blonde hair, retorted. "Ben's big-ass hair was in my way!"

"Don't blame my 'hawk for nothing!" a boy with a tall brown Mohawk shouted. "The women think it's sexy."

"Of course, Benny-Boy, you look absolutely downright sexy with that Mohawk," a girl joked, smiling widely, showing off a set of braces.

"I know," the guy hissed, running a hand through his hair.

"Ok, Sara says move outta her seat before she kicks some asses," Sara joked, moving over the boy named Tim, letting Kyle take the seat next to her. Clara leaned against the couch behind Danny and Kimi, and Taku took the spot between Danny and Kimi and Tim.

"Well," Kimi started, clapping her hands and standing up from Danny's lap. "Let's see…" she grabbed Taku's hand and pulled him to the front of the room, and did the same to Kyle and Sara, before tugging on Danny's hand. Clara flew up and over the couch of her own accord. "I know y'all already know me and Danny," Kimi stated with a smile to her friends assorted on the couch. And until the other fifty-something people arrive-"

"Fifty something people?" Kyle asked incredulously, his eyes bugging from their sockets. "What happened to 'we will be responsible while living in this tower'?"

"Oh, Kyle, calm down. We're teenagers. They should've figured we would break a few of the rules," Kimi replied coyly. "Anyways-" Kimi was cut off by the ringing of the doorbell and sighed in annoyance. "-Danny, go get the doorbell." He was about to protest when Sara rang in.

"Remember, Dan-Dan, four days left!" she squealed in delight. "She still has full control."

Danny muttered incoherently under his breath before trudging off to greet the friends he hadn't seen in quite a while. "Baby," Kimi muttered. "Anyways, this here is Kyle," she motioned to Kyle who smile brightly and waved. "Better known as Hawk. These girls here are Sara and Clara. Twins, obviously, but very different," Kimi told her friends with a smile. Clara looked indifferent and grumpy, while Sara smiled and waved flirtatiously to both Ben and Tim who were VERY attractive.

"Hey there," Tim greeted, jerking his head to clear the hair from his eyes.

"Hey," Sara greeted in turn, taking a seat between Ben and Tim on the couch. Kimi chuckled and rolled her eyes, figuring that was exactly what Sara would do when introduced to these two.

"And," Kimi started. "That's Ben." She pointed to the one with the brunette Mohawk. "That's Tim." She pointed to the tall blonde. "This here's Paige," she pointed to a olive-skinned girl with dark chestnut hair that fell in slight waves to her chest and exuberant chocolate brown eyes. She waved happily. "And over there's Chris and Caroline," she finished up, pointing to a couple in the corner, who were sharing secretive glances. The boy had a curly mane of black hair with sparking hazel eyes, and the girl was dark-skinned and full-lipped.

"Hey ev'rybody," Kyle greeted with a lazy smirk as Danny returned with about six more people. It was hard to tell how many heads were in the crowd. There were two, though, that stuck out like sore thumbs.

"Mommy!" Kimi squealed childishly, flying up and over the couch to hug her mom tightly.

"Kimi!" her mom squealed in return, opening her arms wide and taking her child in a tight embrace. "Happy day of birth, my child," she whispered in her ear after she had broken through the throng of teenagers.

"I see you're taking care of our tower," Richard murmured as he inspected the number of teenagers sitting on the couch and nibbling on chips and dip.

"Oh, dad, it's my birthday, lighten up," Kimi retorted with a smile as her mother released her.

Richard looked stunned at his daughter's words, but Kori smirked. "Yea, Richard, lighten up," she told him, her smirk turning into a large grin.

"Telling me to lighten up? Remember that when you want me to-" but Kori darted forward and clamped her hands over his mouth, before reprimanding him for using such innuendos in front of their daughter. "What?" he asked when she had released his mouth. "It's not like she didn't catch the drift with the whole shower incident."

Kori sighed and rolled her eyes before Kimi darted forward and hugged her father with great force. "I will never get used to the fact that I can call Nightwing my daddy."

"Well, I will never get used to the fact that I am a daddy, so it evens out," he joked, kissing her forehead. "Happy birthday, baby."

"Thanks," Kimi replied, looking up at him. "Now where are my presents!" she asked giddily.

Kori raised her eyebrows. "Now, now, Kimi dearest. If I have taught my child anything, it is that your day of Senkron is not about the presents, it is about the celebration of your introduction into the world," she stated. "And it seems you have quite the celebration here."

"In half an hour it'll be bumping," Danny stated with a dimpled smile, popping up next to Kimi and wrapping an arm around her waist. "Hey Nightwing, hey Star. About fifty more people showing up. Even Kay's gonna try and stop by."

"Not the infamous Kaytlin Maytrino," Kori chuckled. "You two have been best friends since before I can remember."

Kimi smiled. "Yup. I can't wait to see her."

"Neither can I," Danny chimed in. "Anyways, I better go-" the doorbell cut him off. "-answer the doorbell," he finished, though that had clearly not been his beginning intentions. "Bye babe," he left Kimi with a peck on the cheek. "Bye Starfire, Nightwing."

"Bye Danny," the three replied, as they watched the blonde boy walk off.

"I do want to stay, Kimand'r," Kori told her. "But I don't want to bring down the party."

"If anything, you guys would be the life of it. You are two of the fifteen most notable figures in Jump City. Can we say party time?" Kimi asked, in a matter-of-factly way.

"Yes we can," her mother stated. "But we feel you deserve to see your friends. Just, do not do anything I would not wish you to do."

"Uh, I strongly second that statement!" Richard chimed in matter-of-factly. "All these kids alone with my little girl, God knows what could happen."

Kimi rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine mommy. Kyle is uptight like no one's business so I promise the party won't get too wild."

"I HEARD THAT!" Kyle yelled from halfway across the room.

"Sorry Kyle!" Kimi chimed back with a small chuckle.

"Well dear, we put your gifts in your room. Call us when you open them tonight, ok Hun?" her mother asked sweetly.

"Ok mom. And I'll start planning for my Quines next years," Kimi joked.

"Quines?" Richard asked. "Holy Batman, please stop talking about things I can't comprehend."

"Holy Batman?" Kori asked, her eyebrow raised. "Talk about saying things you cannot comprehend. A quines is like a sweet sixteen. Quine is fifteen in Tamaranian, and a quines is the coming of age party for Tamaranians. When you are fifteen, you are considered an adult. There are certain laws you must abide by until your fifteenth birthday. Like-" Kori leaned over and whispered something in his ear.

Richard's eyes went wide and he looked to his daughter in astonishment. "You are, under no circumstances, turning fifteen."

"Richard, lighten up," Kori told him with a small chuckle. "It is only Tamaranian culture." Kori leaned over and pecked him on the lips. "I promise she'll be a good girl."

"Ew," Kimi deadpanned. "X'hal gouge my eyes out…please."

"Oh, Kimi, it's no better than knowing by your fifteenth birthday you'll be, by Tamaranian law, legally able to have an active sex life and possibly be married," Kori retorted.

"LA LA LA LA LA! LA LA LA LA LA!" Richard sang, desperately trying to erase this conversation from his mind. "I can't hear you. We're not talking about my daughter's love life!"

Kori sighed and pulled his fingers away from his head, before whispering softly into his ear. "Ooh…" he cooed, his eyes widened perceptibly. "Ok, I'm fine now."

Kimi shuddered, rubbing her temples. "I WANT to know," she stated sarcastically. "Bye mom, dad, I'll call you tonight."

"Bye Kimi," Richard whispered into her ear as he hugged the two women who were most important in his life. "Have a good birthday, baby."

"Thanks mom, thanks dad," she replied, pulling away. "I love you both. And don't worry, dad. I may be born, half-raised, and taught on Tamaran, but I do hold some Earthen values. I promise I won't be running off with boys in the very near future."

"That's my girl," Richard responded, smiling, as he pulled away. "We'll keep in touch."

"Goodbye, Kimiand'r," Kori stated with one last hug. "We shall come to visit you soon."

Kimi smiled and skipped back to join her good friends in conversation. "So…where were we?"

**TT2**


	12. Terra?

A/N: Basically, there will be a few chapters of the adults that contain fluff, but we will get into their important part of the story soon, I promise. Oh, and just so you don't have to figure this out by yourself, the adult and teenage stories will tie into each other in more ways than one. 

**Disclaimer**: Got Teen Titans? I don't.

TT2 

"Beast Boy?" she asked one more time, as if to assure he was really standing before her. Gar's hands slipped off of Raven's waist, but one still kept her hand as he walked to her side.

"Oh…"

"My…"

"Sweet Azar," Raven gasped in disbelief, as Terra surged forward and caught Gar in a tight embrace. Instead of hugging back like he knew he would if she had come about five years earlier, he pulled up his arms and pushed her away.

"Terra," he breathed when his emerald eyes met her baby blues. "How did you…Where did you…What are you…Terra?" he asked again, still highly disbelieving the probability of her being here.

"Maybe I should explain…" Terra trailed off, smiling softly as she brushed back a lock of sun-bleached blonde hair.

"That would be nice," Raven stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Raven…" Terra drew out disgustedly, as if she just realized Raven was there. "What are you doing here?" Apparently, she did. "Are you and Gar…?"

"Well…" Gar started, a small smile crossing his face and taking Raven's hand again. "We're engaged." Terra's face fell. "I'm sorry, Terra, but we fell in love. We're getting married now."

"It's ok, I understand," she replied, putting on a jubilant façade. "It's not like I expected to come back and you'd just be waiting for me. I'm just glad I get to see you again. Maybe I should explain." Terra led them to the couch, where Raven took a cautious seat behind Garfield, who faced his first love.

"So…tell me…how did you come back?" Garfield asked, as Raven intricately interlaced their fingers and watched Terra in an adjudicative manner.

"I-or more likely my statue-was discovered by a paleontologist that blew into town. He hadn't heard the supposed legend of Terra, and decided to study my statue more. At the moment he touched it, it began glowing yellow and split into three-thousand pieces, releasing me from a stone prison." Terra took a short breath, looked down to her lap. "I was in a trance-like state. I did not get older, neither did I grow while in my stone prison, yet I survived. The rock surrounding me fed me, almost. It gave me the minerals I needed to survive. I was woken up when I was pulled from my trance and revived by Dr. Kilborne.

"The minute I was strong enough to be on my own, I immediately began my way to the tower. While on my way, though, I heard talk about a new generation of the Titans. I used some money the doctor had given me to grab a newspaper, and there on the front page was pictures of them, and an article of their latest defeat. Thereafter, I looked you up under your real name, and found you at this address."

"Whoa," Gar breathed. "Terra…I can't believe you're really here. That story is unbelievable. And…I know this may be a little awkward…" he trailed off and patted Raven's hand lovingly.

"It's…it's ok," she replied. "I just wanted to see you…one last time…"

"One last time?" Raven asked inquisitively.

Terra smiled softly. "Yea. Since I'm technically still a teenager, I've been given an offer to join the new Titans East team over in Steele City, as their leader, since I have the most experience of them all. I've accepted, and I'm leaving tomorrow night. I needed to see you, to see what you made of your life. I can see you're happy."

"I am," he replied, taking a moment to smile in Raven's direction. "Thank you, Terra."

"And I couldn't have picked anyone better for you myself. You're one lucky girl, Raven," Terra told her with a genuine smile. "I hope you two are happy together."

"And you know you'll be invited to our wedding, Ter. How could you not be?" Garfield smiled and broke his contact with Raven to give Terra a small hug and a kiss on the cheek. Raven gave her a hug as well.

"I knew you two would get together someday, and I was just interrupting that," Terra stated in a matter-of-factly manner.

"Not this again…" Raven trailed off, rolling her eyes.

Terra raised an eyebrow. "Not what again?"

"Everyone tells us that they knew we were meant to be. Others think it's quite ironic, but most just say we were meant to be. Fight like an old married couple. They say," Gar explained with a proud, toothy grin. "Of course, she will never admit we were meant to be, and merely went out with me for the sake of going out with me. It's ok, though, cuz I know she's lying."

Terra giggled. "So…what's been happening? I've been gone for fifteen years, and I need to be kept up to date!"

"You've missed so much," Raven told her, with a soft smile, scooting closer to Garfield, sharing body warmth with her fiancée. "Of course, you can see Gar and I finally started dating."

"Gar?"

"Oh you missed his entire journey with the Doom Patrol. Long story short, I found out his name was Garfield and teased him mercilessly." Raven grinned angelically. "That's how we same up with his new nickname."

"Worst five months of my life."

"Poor Garfield," Raven teased. "Anyways, back to 'you've missed so much'. You will never believe what happened. Starfire and Robin had a little fling when they were both sixteen-" Raven started, but was cut off.

"Mr. Good Boy had a fling? At sixteen?" Terra asked, surprised to say the least.

"Yea. Anyways, Star got pregnant-"

"Star got pregnant? At sixteen?" Terra asked, her afore mentioned expression repeated ten fold.

"Ok, that's beginning to get very annoying," Raven stated as politely as possible (for Raven).

Terra blushed. "Sorry. Continue."

"Anyways, Star got pregnant and no one knew, so she ran away, thinking she was disgracing the team by bringing a baby into this world under our roof. Long story short, thirteen years later, we fought some criminal at a bank, and found her and her daughter. She and Richard hooked up again, and now they're getting married in three weeks," Raven explained.

"Didn't anyone think it was kind of…skanky, for lack of better words, for them to have sex at sixteen?" Terra asked, treading lightly with her words for she did not know what reaction she would receive.

"Well, in her culture, an active sex life is encouraged. Tamaranians are a very…open…people," Raven replied, wondering if Terra would understand her meaning when she said 'open'.

"Yea, like that one time she came into the living and just randomly shouted 'I received a-'" but Gar was cut off by Raven stomping on his foot.

"She said she wanted to know what has been going on, not be scarred for life," Raven hissed.

"It was quite funny though. The look on Robin's face was invaluable when she asked him to help her," Garfield chuckled.

"I feel bad for the boy," Raven muttered, nodding her head. "Why did Starfire have to be so naïve?"

"To make us laugh?" Garfield asked, not realizing it was a rhetorical question.

Raven smiled. "She did that much for us. I can't remember a time I didn't laugh when she asked Robin to explain or show something to her. Like when she asked Robin what a 'first base' was. Priceless."

"Ooh, tell me," Terra asked, scooting forward to the edge of her seat. "If there's nothing I love more, it's when Robin pulls himself into shit for offering tutelage to Star."

"Ok, so we were all watching a movie, when all of a sudden, Star says in the most innocent voice 'Robin, what is a first base?'. He kind of chokes on his soda for a minute, before saying it's the first place you run to in the Earth sport of Baseball. She then wonders out loud why the kids in the movie she watched before that would want to run to first base when they weren't playing baseball. He explained it could also mean something else, and when she asked what, he said he'd tell her later," Gar explained, a wide grin on his face.

"And then Starfire, two seconds later, says, 'it is later, now may I please know'," Raven continued for him. "So Robin leans over, whispers in her ear, and then her face lights up and she squeals 'So the teenagers were merely wishing to stick their tongues in each others mouths! That is what we have done, correct?' Needless to say, Robin turned bright red and mumbled 'Yea, something like that'. Hee-larious."

"What?" Terra questioned. "Didn't anyone ask what she meant when she said 'that is what we have done'?"

"Well, we already basically knew. When the Titans first met up, Starfire had kissed him and we just all never mentioned it again. Apparently they had a five-second make-out session that we weren't aware of," Gar explained.

Terra began cracking up. "No way. Tell me more."

And the conversation lasted into the night, the three going on like they had known each other all their lives.

TT2 

"Richard…" Kori trailed off in a beautiful singsong voice, carrying two cups of steaming hot coffee towards the bed where her lump of a fiancée still lay. He was on his stomach, his face in the pillow, with sheets bunched around his waist. This exposure revealed his toned back muscles, and his rather large left foot. "Get your adorable plorka out of the bed!"

"Meh…" he mumbled into the pillow, his foot twitching only slightly. Besides that, he made no move to get out of bed. Kori sighed, before daintily placing the mugs on their bed stand.

"Richard…" she sang again, trailing her long fingernail down his foot, which was sticking off the side of the bed. Goosebumps began to form on his skin. "Do you really require me to do-" Kori paused as she climbed onto the bed and straddled his waist from behind. "-this."

"Yes, I do," he mumbled. Kori heaved another deep breath, before beginning to run her long fingernails up and down his back. "Ahh…" he groaned, moving his arms so they were cradling his head.

"Will you listen to me now?"

"You keep doing that and I might just marry you," he joked. Kori smiled at his joke (one of the only Earth jokes she would ever understand), but did not respond. She only continued to run her fingernails over his exposed skin. "A little to the left…ah…heavenly. Have I told you I love you lately?"

"Only last night before I went to bed, last night before I fell asleep, and this morning before I went to make the coffee. No, not as of late," she replied lightheartedly, then with a charming giggle. Kori relinquished the task of scratching his back, instead opting to give him a light back massage.

"Well I'm telling you again now. I love you…" he trailed off, with another groan. "And you have a serious future as a massage therapist."

"I am very partial to my job as a secretary, thank you very much," she replied, working on a huge knot near his shoulder blade. "You are very tense. Lighten up."

"It's a Sunday. I'm light. I'm not tense," he replied in a groan as she applied a bit more pressure.

"Well, you will be soon; bridesmaid dress shopping with Raven and Kimi. You must get up to tag along," she told him. "It is almost eleven, and they will be here at twelve."

Richard mumbled incoherently. Though Kori did not catch it, she retorted either way. "Twenty days left until our wedding, and we have not yet picked out a bridesmaid dress."

"What about that yellow one you liked?" Richard asked.

"Kimi stated that it made her butt look big, and it clashed with her eyes," Kori responded, trying not to giggle. Richard nodded into his pillow, showing his understanding.

"How's Kimi getting here?" Richard mumbled.

"Raven is picking her up, because she told me she would rather not to fly." Kori continued her massage, making small talk with her soon-to-be-husband. A few minutes passed, when Kori asked, "Are you ready to get up yet?".

"Not yet…" he trailed off, releasing a contented breath.

"Richard!" Kori squealed in an almost shrill voice.

"Fine!" he replied grumpily, flipping himself over so quickly that Kori was barely moved from her original position, and he was now looking up at her. "Hello."

"Hello my dear," she replied, leaning down to kiss him gently.

He motioned for her to get off of him, and she did just that, swinging her leg over and sliding off the bed. Without his asking, she helped him out of their bed and he popped up with ease. "C'mere you!" he exclaimed, and in one swift movement picking her up and cradling her in his arms.

"Ah! What in the name of X'hal are you doing?" Kori squealed.

"I got bored," he replied indifferently with a small shrug.

"I can see that! Let me down! I am perfectly capable of using my legs," she retorted, kicking her legs in a muted manner.

Richard smirked and threw her over his shoulder (making sure to be gentle, even though it did not matter because Tamaranians are so tough) and began walking towards the door. Once in the hallway, he proceeded down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"You do realize, if I were to want to get down, I could easily do so," she told him, crossing her arms. "But I am not wanting to get down, so I shall not try."

"Sure," Richard replied in a feigning skeptical tone. "So…what should I have for breakfast?" he asked casually, as if his fiancée were not slung over his shoulder.

"How about a big heaping bowl of let your wife down?" she suggested innocently. "I shall kiss you for it…" she enticed him, and it took no more for him to let her down and pucker his lips expectantly. "I am not kissing you," she retorted stubbornly. "You would not put me down."

"Star!" he whined, like a lost and hurt puppy dog.

"Nope, you get no kiss," she told him. "Sorry." She stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest and began walking away. "I need to get ready. Good day, Mr. Grayson."

Richard stood there, wounded both in ego and pride. "Starfire!" he squeaked, before starting after her at a brisk jog. He caught up to her in the entryway, and easily distributed his weight so he could jump over her. He landed in a slightly awkward position in front of her, his palm stretched on the floor with his arm holding him up, his other arm behind his back and his knees bent to their maximum.

"I see you have been training," she mentioned simply. "Even so, you will not get your kiss. I am a very independent woman, and am able to survive without the affection of anoth-" Kori was cut off as Richard abruptly stood and pressed his lips to hers. He intertwined their hands as Kori dreamily pulled away.

"What was I saying?" she asked dazedly, with a small smile gracing her full lips.

"I don't know," Richard replied with a smirk. "I knew gymnastics turned women on. That's the only reason I agreed to take a class while training with Batman."

"Oh, yes, Gymnastics drives the women on your planet and mine wild," Kori replied, kissing him once more and savoring his taste.

"I can tell," he replied huskily, coming forward, and running his hands up her exposed thighs. She was clad in merely sleeping shorts and a long-sleeved shirt (that, ironically, belonged to him) whose sleeves were pushed up.

"You naughty little boy. For all you are knowing, Galfore could walk in the door right now, back from his trip to Tamaran," Kori told him, her voice deep and seductive. "Would not want to be caught in the act, you little Krektron?"

"I'm hoping Krektron means something good," Richard whispered into her ear, using his hand at the small of her back to press her against his body.

"Let us just clarify it is not a word we would want Kimi using anytime soon," Kori murmured, as he began to softly kiss her neck.

"Oh shit!" Richard exclaimed, his head snapping up and his eyes going wide, needless to say, he killed the mood. "Kimi. It's-" he looked at the watch that was constantly wrapped around his wrist "-11:27! Kimi will be here in thirty minutes."

Kori smirked, not at all affected by his frantic countenance. "Let's save time then…shower together."

Richard let his eyebrow rise so far it nearly disappeared under his thick tangle of ebony hair. But he wasn't one to argue with a lady.

TT2 


	13. Opening Up, Just a Little

A/N: I GOT A NEW LAPTOP (yay!) for Christmas, so besides updates being more frequent, I will need to clear all of the chapters I have saved off of my current computer, so expect VERY rapid updates within the next week. I'm thinking two a day to get my hard drive clear of how far ahead I began typing to what I actually updated. 

**A/N 2**: enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: The Teen Titans will be mine when Great Danes stop being so big and adorable (I have a Great Dane and he is the cutest damn thing you've ever seen)

TT2 

**Saturday September 5, 2019**

Many people arrived thereafter, and Kimi turned on one of the music channels on their satellite television. It came in halfway through a Fall Out Boy song.

"Ooh I love this song…" Sara squealed, grabbing her sister and beginning to dance on a makeshift dance floor set up behind the couch. Clara looked rather frightened at such an attempt at dancing.

"Sare, you're attracting attention," Clara deadpanned, before sitting back in her original seat, not bothering to look back at her sister.

"It looks like fun," Taku supported, standing up to go dance with Sara.

"Oh dear God, don't encourage her," Clara pleaded. Taku almost believed she was afraid of getting embarrassed by her teammates. The look of shock on her face should've been enough proof.

"Well, you won't see me getting up there, making a fool of myself," Kyle snorted, crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest. Clara raised a single eyebrow.

"Can't dance?"

"Can't dance," he affirmed ashamedly, suddenly finding his feet very interesting. Clara smiled (which turned into more of a knowing smirk but I guess anything is good out of her).

"Too bad, so sad, I am leaving," Clara responded, sitting up, brushing off her skirt, and proceeding out of the room. "See y'all whenever you decide to stop partying like monkeys!" she yelled to the throng of teenagers now crowded on the dance floor as a rap song came on.

"Where do you think you're going?" Taku yelled to her, his voice rising above the music and the cheerful chatter. "This may be a party, but it's also Kimi's birthday. You have to stay."

"Must I?" she asked with a hint of disgust in her voice. "I don't do socialization, so if you don't mind I'd like to go-"

"Clara," Taku said in a warning voice.

"Fine! God." She grumpily joined the pack of wild teenagers, standing near her sister, refusing to dance as everyone else was. "Anyways, who gave you permission to turn our living room into a club?"

"I did," Kimi told her. "I'm the only direct descendant of this tower, and I think I should have control of what goes on inside it's walls." Danny "pfft"ed and Kimi inconspicuously whacked him upside the head, while continuing dance with him.

"Ow…that hurt."

"No it didn't, you're just a wuss," Kimi chuckled, before giving him an apologizing kiss. "But you're my wuss, which makes it all better." Kimi gave him another kiss.

"Lovely. Tamaranians sure do believe in the PDA's, don't they?" Clara asked, slowly rotating her hips in tune to the music, getting a feel for the rhythm. Kimi gave her a questioning look. "Public Displays of Affection."

"Actually, PDA's are encouraged on my planet. The council of five-hundred was wondering whether to make it a law or not, but felt it unfair to widows, youths, and unmarried citizens," Kimi informed her, unaware of Clara's sarcasm."

Clara smirked and rolled her eyes. "My point." Before long, Clara had gotten the full gist of this "dancing" thing that everyone else was partaking in. She was dancing in a group of people, talking with Taku who was a member of that group of people, and one of the only three nearby that he knew. Kimi and Danny were dancing near, but her sister was dancing on the far side of the room with the two boys she had met earlier, and Kyle was still sitting on the couch, tapping his foot to the music: poor rhythm-less boy.

"So…" Clara started to Taku, for she felt awkward just standing there, almost-dancing in front of complete strangers.

"Glad I made you come dance now?" Taku asked, smirking in satisfaction for knowing he was right for once.

"Maybe…" Clara trailed off, not ready to admit her being wrong to Taku. "And don't flatter yourself. I'm not dancing with you. I just have no one else to dance with."

"Oh?" he asked, hopping up to her and making a rather absurd move with his body that included sticking out his chest and shaking his chest at her. "Wanna dance with me now?"

"Oh my God! Taku you are such a loser!" Clara exclaimed over the song that was coming to an end, only to be replaced with yet another rap song. "Get a life, will you?" Despite her previous comments, Clara couldn't stifle a large grin.

"I got you to smile. My work here is done," he told her, as he failed to back off of her, but returned to a normal dancing stance.

"Your work here is never done," she replied in a slight flirtatious tone that she picked up from her sister. "You are a Titan after all…you have to get me to smile for more than ten seconds, and then your work here will be done."

"I guess so. Maybe to challenge myself I'll go for twenty seconds. Maybe thirty seconds," he replied thoughtfully, his eyes trailing away from hers, but soon returning. Taku smiled. "Yea, thirty seconds sounds good."

"I don't know, why stop there?" she asked, placing her wrist on his shoulder to rest it there for only briefly (or so she told herself). "Try for a minute. Or five minutes, or ten minutes, or thirty minutes. Try for an hour!"

"Well, why stop there then? Let's try for two hours!"

"Or three hours!" Clara responded, smiling for only a brief two seconds, before chuckling, then letting her grin fall. Soon, it was forgotten what they were talking of, as they ticked off possibilities for lengths of time. All they knew was it was something that had to do with eating ("No, it had to do with crime-fighting!").

"Wow. I don't think I have ever had so much fun with a single person that was not a member of my family. Or Sean," Clara reminisced sadly. "Wow, my life is sad."

"Yea, it is," Taku affirmed. "You need a little happy influence."

"I am **not** taking drugs," she retorted, looking at him with wide eyes.

Taku smirked. "Yea, I really meant I wanted you to try pot, " he replied sarcastically, giving her a disbelieving look. He then smirked. "You are unbelievable."

A slow song came onto the music channel, and instantly people on the dance floor began pairing off. "Uh-uh," Clara told him, watching the malicious grin on his face. "This is where I draw the line. I'll dance with you, but no slow dancing. Uh-uh, you can find another dance partner for this one."

Clara stubbornly took to the couch, though subconsciously watching him. Almost instantly after she left him, a girl that looked about his age (fifteen), who looked like a stereotypical blonde, tapped him on the shoulder and presumably asked him to dance. He grinned and nodded his head, wrapping his arms around her waist and letting her drape her arms around his neck. Clara gritted her teeth.

Of course, Danny and Kimi instantly paired off (Kimi was quite amused when her friends began cooing at the relatively newly found couple). But Sara had excused herself from Tim and Ben (to their adorable protests) to find Kyle. She saw him striking up conversation with her sister who was also on the couch and made her way over.

"Kyle…" she trailed off, a smile on her face. "Want to dance?"

"Uhh…" his voice got softer and softer until he was just looking at her nervously.

"Don't tell me you've never slow danced before," Sara replied, chuckling. Kyle promptly turned red, but said nothing. "Come on, it's easy." Sara reached over the couch and tugged on his hand, to no avail. "Kyle," she whined in an adorable voice. "Please?"

"Maybe the next one," he told her.

"Kyle!"

"Fine, I promise I'll dance with you to the next slow song," he told her, looking into her eyes and smiling to seal the promise. "Ok?"

Sara sighed and smiled back. "I guess that's the best I'll get from you." So, Sara gave him one last smile, before turning around to go find Kimi. She had a plan to cook up.

Clara crossed her arms over her chest. Slow dancing is for losers.

Did someone just tap her shoulder?

Clara turned her head and looked up, to see a tall brunette boy with bright hazel eyes smiling softly down at her. "Hey there. Want to dance?"

Clara took a reproachful glare at Taku and the blonde bimbo, before uncrossing her legs and coming around the couch. She trailed her thin, bony fingers across his collarbone. In a sultry voice, she replied, "I'd love to".

"Great," he replied, a smile crossing his lips. The nameless boy took her by the hand and led her to the dance floor, near what she assumed were his friends, for he smirked at them all.

"What's your name?" Clara asked, moving slowly to the doleful tune

"Sam…And you're Clara, right?" he replied, a small smile still across his face. Clara nodded, and averted the boy's gaze to see the ebullient look on Taku's face had vanished. It was replaced with a look of questioning and almost hurt.

'You wouldn't dance with me, but you'll dance with him?' he mouthed across the dance floor. Clara gave a baleful glare at the blonde in his arms and would've made a gibe, had he been close enough to hear it. Instead, she settled for letting him figure out her message.

Clara turned her head so fast her curls bounced a few times before settling on her shoulders. "Sorry about that," she whispered to her dance partner. "My friend over there is jealous because I'm dancing with another guy. If I didn't know better, I'd think he likes me or something."

The boy chuckled wholeheartedly, before giving a grin. "He seems like a very fatuous person."

Clara restrained herself from bursting out with laughter. "You don't even know…" she trailed off. "But I guess he's a good friend."

The conversation thereafter ended, as did the song eventually. Clara thanked Sam for the dance, and traveled over to Taku. "I thought you didn't do slow-dancing?" he asked acrimoniously, an eyebrow raised.

"I didn't think you'd mind, you were dancing with that blonde bimbo."

"Um, hello?" Clara whipped around to see the "blonde bimbo" standing there with her arms crossed over her chest and her foot tapping impatiently.

"II was just leaving," Clara stated, with a pleasant smile, before adamantly striding away.

"Clara!" Taku exclaimed.

Clara held up her hand over her back. "Whatever." She promptly parked her rear on the couch, and began to stare out the large window.

"PMS-y ex-girlfriend you have," the blonde commented, before blowing a large bubble with her bubble gum.

"Oh she's not-"

The girl smirked and looked him over knowingly. "I've heard that more than a few times," she replied. "C'mon, let's dance," the girl stated, beginning to rotate her hips in tune to the fast music.

"Hey Dan…" Kimi started softly after the slow dance, as she started to dance with him to some random hip-hop song that began to play. "Have you noticed something weird about Taku and Clara? They fight like an old married couple."

Danny laughed. "Yea…but you'll never guess that Taku likes her."

"What?" Kimi asked, dumbfounded.

"Yea. Taku has a thing for Clara. That's why he offered to go after her today. He thought it'd make her realize how sensitive he is, and maybe make her like him. He's very intrigued by her, apparently," he replied.

"That is so adorable," Kimi cooed. "Too bad Clara doesn't like him. Or at least I don't think she does. I mean, you never know, but it doesn't seem like she does."

"Well, Clara doesn't seem to like anyone, now does she?" Danny asked with a chuckle, brushing back a lock of hair that had fallen in Kimi's face. The young Tamaranian smiled softly in thanks, and leaned up to kiss him.

"Kimi?" Sara asked, tapping her on the shoulder. Kimi retreated back and shot him an apologetic look, before turning towards Sara.

"Yea, Sare?" Kimi asked casually, pretending as if she had not been just about to kiss her boyfriend. "What's up?"

"Umm," Sara started nervously, looking down to her feet, and then looking back up again. "I need your help."

TT2 

Half an hour had passed, and Taku and Clara had eventually settled their argument, saying it had been petty and stupid in the first place. They danced together, both claiming they had no one else to dance with (though they both knew this was preposterous).

Another slow song came on, and in a heartbeat Sara was up and asked Kyle to dance.

"Must I?" he asked. "I'm going to make a fool of myself in front of all these people."

Sara smirked. "That's why-" she took his hand and nearly skipped through the crowd, out of the living room door, and through another doorway to go up the stairs and come out on top of the roof. "-I'm bringing you up here. No one's watching. It's just you and me."

There was a soft heavenly glow coming from the moon, spilling across the roof and lighting up everything in its wake. The waves crashed softly unto the rocks below, and you were able to easily hear the song coming form the floor below. "C'mon."

Sara took his hand and led him to the edge of the roof, stopping where they had a good view of the ocean. "Look," Sara started, guiding him easily. She took his hands placed them on her back, and then moved closer to rest her wrists on his shoulders. "It's easy. A three year old could do it."

"That's why I can't. I neither have the brain nor the attention span of a three year-old," he responded with a goofy grin. "But I guess I could try it anyways."

Sara smiled and rolled her eyes. "You are such a dork."

"You know dorks turn you on," he replied, taking a bold move that he had never taken before by pulling her closer. Sara took the hint and rested her head on his collarbone, a deep sigh escaping her lips. "This is perfect," he told her. "Thanks."

"Well, almost perfect," she responded in a soft voice. Sara pulled her head up, letting her hands drift towards his temples to pick up the sides of his sunglasses and rest them on his head. "Now it's perfect." Sara looked into his eyes and smiled. "Those stupid sunglasses just get in the way."

"When you're around, of course they do," he replied softly, as her head eventually came back down to rest on his collarbone.

And long after the song was replaced (by a faster and more upbeat one), they stayed in that position, both afraid to move and ruin that perfect moment.

TT2 

"God, I find my sister's relationship with Kyle ridiculous," Clara snorted to Taku later that night. "I mean, she just met him. Is there anything meaningful there?"

"That's not very nice," Taku replied. "I think they're adorable together, if they would get together."

"I didn't say I didn't think they were adorable together, I just think they should get to know each other better before flirting like that with each other," Clara stated. "I mean, I love Sara, but she wouldn't know a meaningful relationship if it danced naked in front of her wearing nothing but Kyle's sunglasses."

Taku chuckled. "Well, let her have some fun. It's not like you both have to believe in the same things. You believe in meaningful relationships, she doesn't. So what?"

"Well…" truth be told, Clara had no argument, so only sighed in defeat. She crossed her legs (they were sitting on the couch, having given up dancing for a bit, along with a lot of other teens), and crossed her arms. "…It's hard being sisters, when we're so different, but I guess that's what keeps us good friends."

Taku smiled, before looking at the watch on his wrist. "Wow, it's already eleven thirty. You think Kimi's gonna start kicking kids out soon?"

"Probably, we have to go bridesmaid dress shopping with her mom and Raven tomorrow morning," Clara informed him.

"Well, then, let's make the best of the rest of this night," he told her. "Let's dance."

"Must I?" Clara droned.

"You're my only dance partner. Yes, you must," he told her with a smile. "C'mon, it'll be fun."

Clara smirked softly, grudgingly sitting up and following him out onto the dance floor. Though Clara would never admit it, being with Taku made her feel special. She felt like he was the only person that accepted her for who she was, besides her sister.

But her sister was not a male, now was she?

Maybe Taku wasn't the best choice for a boyfriend (not that Clara was thinking about that at all…right…), but he was a nice boy. And Clara knew that being friends with him wouldn't hurt.

"You think everything's fun," she deadpanned.

"Well, most of the time I'm right. I'm ME, after all," he responded.

"Yea, whatever," she replied, beginning to swing her hips back and forth, chuckling as she watched Taku dance like a crazed maniac. "I can tell you don't dance much."

"Are you kidding? I love to dance," he replied jokingly, beginning to dance normally.

"Ok, kiddies," Sara's voice came over the microphone in the room that went throughout the tower. "After this song, the party's over. So, you don't have to go home, but you need to get the heck outta here. We've got training in the morning," she joked. The Titans really didn't have training, but Sara had said that for a kick.

The last song was, without fail, a slow song. So, couples began to pair off again. Kimi and Danny paired off, and Sara and Kyle disappeared out of the living room ("Where are they going?" Clara had asked).

And so came the fateful moment. Taku asked Clara to dance. Clara internally debated for a few seconds, before Taku sighed impatiently and began dragging her towards the dance floor.

"I don't care if you say yes or not, I'm making you dance with me," he replied. "Patience is a virtue I don't have."

"Fine," Clara conformed, placing her arms hesitantly upon his thin shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, and grinned goofily.

Clara avoided eye contact, for the better part of the dance, but once she met his eyes she couldn't help but smiling softly. It was soon over, and Clara hated to admit she might've actually begun to enjoy it, but nevertheless they parted.

"Thanks," Clara whispered. "That was nicer than dancing with a guy I've known for ten minutes," Clara chuckled, obviously talking about Sam.

"I'd suppose," he replied

It took about twenty minutes for all the kids to file out, and Kimi to say all of her goodbyes, but soon they were left with nothing but a messy living room. Clara waved her hand and recited a spell, and instantly it cleaned itself.

"Thanks, Clare. That saved us from an even later night tonight," Kimi stated. "Umm…where are Sara and Kyle?"

Clara smirked as Kimi ran off with Danny to find them.

"I'm going to bed," Clara announced to the only other person in the room, Taku, before giving an obnoxious yawn.

"Me too. G'night," he said, smiling softly. He moved to hug her, but restrained himself, remembering what she had said earlier.

"Good boy. Remember what I taught you. Clara doesn't do hugs," she replied, patting him on the head.

"I'm not a dog, ya know?" he quipped.

"You aren't?" she asked, feigning surprise.

Taku sighed. "Whatever. Good night."

"Night, Taku," she replied, walking from the room with one last wave back. He smiled gratefully.

And Clara knew he would win. She would be smiling for well over any time he could've ever predicted.

**TT2**


	14. Flashbacks and Surprises

**A/N**: I'm experimenting with putting dates ont he chapters, so you can keep track of what was when. It's hard, balancing the adult and teenage chapters so they don't contradict each other. Anyways, enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: If the Teen Titans were mine (I had a dream about this last night, no lie), I would command Star and Rob to make out, Beast Boy and Raven to make out, and Cyborg to go jump off a cliff. And then I would order Kid Flash to make out with me (damn, he's fine). Sadly, I do not own Teen Titans. 

**TT2 **

**Sunday September 6, 2019**

Thirty minutes later, both were fully cleansed and beginning to dress. They had both ended up taking separate showers, for the sake of time (they knew that would take twice as long as both their showers would take if they had).

Kori was applying a light bit of blush to her cheeks (the only make-up she used for such a casual occasion), sitting on the stool of her pink and white intricately designed vanity. Her legs were crossed, exposed from her crimson skirt. Her torso was clad in a light pink camisole, and over it was a buttoned crisp, white blouse.

Richard was in a pair of loose-fitting jeans, his chest exposed as he ran about, trying to find a decent shirt.

"What did you do with the black Gotham High Baseball shirt I gave you?" he asked, rummaging through a drawer filled with shirts.

"Oh, it is currently in the wash," she told him. "Wear your blue tee-shirt. I find it very handsome, and it enhances your muscles greatly."

Richard smirked. "Ok." He slipped on the blue tee-shirt that Kori was speaking of, and then slipped a black 'Jump City Jaguars' football sweatshirt over it.

"Are you almost prepared?" Kori asked, snatching up her purse and slinging it over her shoulder.

"You might be a little cold in that," Richard told her. Weather reports said it might be in the sixties with wind chilltoday," he told her, which was ridiculous seeing as it had been almost ninety the day before.

"Remember, the Tamaranian race is very accustomed to such conditions. We are a durable race, surviving in sub-zero temperatures and fatal attacks that would surely kill a human," she reminded him.

"Whatever you say, honey," he replied kissing her cheek briefly, before taking her hand and leading her out the door and down to the entryway. "Oh, and don't forget, we're going to Vic's tonight to watch the football game," he told her. "We planned it almost a week ago."

"I remembered, sweetie," she replied sweetly. "I believe I do find football quite uninteresting, though."

"Well, Raven will be there and she hates football, so you won't be alone," Richard stated.

"Oh, I forgot she had planned to go, too," Kori replied, smiling softly. "I am sure I will survive this watching of the football."

"Come on, let's go wait for Raven and the girls outside," he told her, taking her hand and leading her to the porch. He fell back into a swinging bench that hung from the top of the porch, and Kori sat next to him, cuddling into his warmth and pulling up her feet so they were almost tucked in beneath her.

"Do you know what I miss most of the Titan Tower?" Kori asked.

"Me running around in a spandex suit?" he asked suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No," Kori replied, giggling. "Our nights upon the roof. It was the one thing I missed most while I was living the normal life."

"I miss it too," he responded in a melancholy tone. "I learned nearly all I know about you from those nights. And that was our first-well, first **real**-kiss. Remember?"

"How could I forget?"

**Flashback**

Robin sat upon the roof, his knees pulled to his chest, and his chin rested in his crossed arms. He was in his contemplative mode, a mode he would rarely go into unless he had good reason. More often was his serious and decisive mode, but tonight, as the stars twinkled down at the confused boy, he was thinking.

A star in particular stood out, and he smiled as he stared at its intense glow and beauty. It was a rather bright star, not bright enough to be the North Star, and in a clutter with four other stars. In a way, Robin could connect such a star to Starfire.

Starfire.

That name brought Goosebumps to Robin's skin and chills to his spine. She was the whole reason he was sitting up here, thinking, anyways. Did he love her?

Strike that…he already knew the answer. But did he love her enough to risk his entire life as Robin, everything he had worked for, for her?

Yes, he did. He would risk millions of reprimanding speeches from Batman just to be with her. He knew Batman forebade falling in love with a teammate, knowing it might bring danger to yourself, or more importantly, them. Robin did not care, though. He knew he'd risk it all for Starfire.

So, why was it so hard to tell her how he truly felt?

He sighed and continued his stargazing, unaware of the soft click of the door that signified a visitor. Light padded footsteps got louder and louder, until he felt warmth next to him.

"I worried that you might catch a cold," she started. "Here, I brought you a blanket."

The Tamaranian girl that had invaded his thoughts kneeled next to him and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. Starfire then took a comfortable position next to him, revealing her ill preparedness for being in such weather. She was clad in her Tamaranian outfit, but her feet were bare, void of their normal thigh-high boots.

"Thanks." She smiled sweetly. "You must be cold," he stated softly, his voice cracking as he strained to talk to her. "Come here."

He held out his arm, opening the blanket, to let her scoot underneath. The other end was draped around her shoulder, and Starfire accepted it gratefully. "Thank you, Robin."

"No problem," he replied.

In an innocent gesture, Starfire laid her head on his shoulder and sighed softly. "Excuse me for making use of your shoulder as a headrest, but I am quite…sleepy," she stated, letting out a miniscule yawn

"Oh, it's fine, I don't mind," he told her hastily.

"Thank you."

Robin wrapped a protective arm around her waist. "Anything for you, Star." The young Tamaranian woman smiled, scooting closer to her leader's warmth.

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Robin…are the stars not beautiful?" she sighed in content. "I can see Tamaran." She pointed to a star with a slight pink glow.

"They are beautiful," he replied. "And I see the most beautiful star sitting right next to me."

Starfire gasped in surprise and looked up to study her leader's face carefully. "You-you believe I ambeautiful?" she asked timidly.

"The most beautiful personI will ever meet," he replied softly. "And I will tell you that, everyday of your life, no matter what."

"Oh Robin," Starfire murmured, reaching up to hug him. But this embrace was different. It was not like her bone-crushing friendship hugs. It was delicate and caring; genuine. "And you are certainly the most handsome and chivalrous man I will ever meet. You are my hero, Robin."

Starfire pulled away and looked into his mask. He leaned in to kiss her, but she held a finger to his lips to stop him.

"Hold on," she whispered with a small smile, reaching up to remove the thin cloth-like mask that had hidden his identity ever since he was young boy. Once it was removed, revealing his intense ice blue eyes, Starfire smiled. "Perfect."

She leaned up and gently met his lips with hers, happier (if possible) than she had ever been in her life.

**end of flashback**

"And you are still the most beautiful woman I have ever met," he told her, in all honesty, before giving her a light kiss on the lips.

"I love you," Kori whispered softly, her eyes half-lidded as she felt herself nodding off, though she had just woken up from a peaceful sleep.

"I love you more," he replied, kissing the crown of her head.

"That is not possible."

"Ok," he responded, smiling. "But I still love you."

"I know, Richard," Kori sighed. "I know." She took his hand and intertwined their fingers, resting them in her lap. "It is all still hard to believe. A month ago, I believed I would never get to see or kiss you again. And now, here I am, sitting with you like none of it ever occurred."

"I can't believe it either," Richard replied, lifting their hands to kiss hers tenderly. "So many times I just wanted to break down, quit it all, throw it all away and start a new life. But I motivated myself by saying it's what you would've wanted."

"And now, just think, we have the beginning of a great family," Kori whispered. "A beautiful little girl who will soon be a young woman, and is now carrying on the legacy of the Teen Titans."

"And I have you to thank for that beautiful young girl," he told her, kissing her softly.

"I cannot wait for our future together," Kori commented. "I am sure we shall be together forever, just as you promised." Kori's large, doe-like emerald eyes turned to his and she smiled. "Remember?"

"Of course I do."

A few silent moments later, a sleek black convertible pulled into their driveway, and Kimi flew over the door and landed on the pavement of their driveway. "Mom! Dad!" she exclaimed, running forward to hug them as they stood from their comfortable position together. "Yesterday night was soo cool I can imagine all the parties you had when YOU were teenagers!" Sara and Clara unbuckled their seatbelts and sat on the tops of the seats in the backseat of the convertible.

"Actually," Raven started, climbing from her car and shutting it's door with a resounding thud. She leaned against the passenger side door and crossed her arms coolly over her chest. "Richard had a stick up his ass all throughout his teen years, so we didn't HAVE any parties."

Kimi , Sara, and Clara giggled as Richard scowled disapprovingly. "The use of such language in front of my daughter's virgin ears is quite unacceptable," he reprimanded, unaware of the giggling Kori and Kimi. "What?" he snapped.

"No offense, dad, but my ears are less than virgin," she told him matter-of-factly, continuing to giggle with her mother.

"And you support this?" Richard asked Kori disbelievingly. She shrugged with an innocent smile. "Only my love," Richard sighed, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"Ok, let us get the going," Kori stated, clapping her hands. "Before we are late for our appointment."

Raven shrugged in agreement and climbed back into her car, followed by Kimi on the passenger's side. Sara and Clara slid back down into their seats. Richard and Kori ventured into the garage, where Richard fired up a red and black motorcycle he had used often when he was living with Bruce. He recently got it back, seeing as there had been no room in the tower's garage for it.

"Hold on tight," he instructed, letting her wrap her arms around his waist and scoot closer to his body.

"I surely will," she replied, sounding almost frightened.

"Star?" he asked.

"Yea?"

"How many times have I told you that motorcycles are safe? How many times have I ridden on a motorcycle and been fine?" he questioned her, an eyebrow raised though she could not see it.

"Countless, to both questions," she replied with a small smile. "I am fine."

Richard smiled. "Then let's rev it up." He did exactly so and pulled out of the garage at an alarming speed, making a sharp turn so he was situated next to Raven's convertible.

"Y'all ready?" he asked, hearing Kori giggle over the running motor.

"Ready as I'll ever be to pick out a dress that will most likely end up being pink," Raven replied sarcastically, but with a soft smile. "You'll need to lead, though. I have no idea where this place is."

"Ok," he replied, revving up his engine and taking off for the end of their semi-circle driveway. Within moments, they were on the road.

TT2 

Victor knocked upon her door later that night, about six, the time they had agreed for dinner so they could have time to get back to his place and watch the game.

"Jenna?" he called. "You there?"

Timidly, he turned the knob and let the door glide open. Music was pulsing form the direction of her kitchen. Victor traveled silently and swiftly down the hallway, until he was merely leaning in the kitchen's doorway.

"Rock ya body, mic check 1,2, cuz it ain't a party til my crew run through," she sang, her hips swirling as she bent to open the oven and pull out a steaming hot glass pan of roast beef and veggies. "Jinx somebody show me what you can do, like oh, ohh."

She rotated her hips in two circles, placing the pan on a counter and doing a quick twirl. Her eyes were closed in the process, so she failed to notice the other person in the room. For a few more moments, the song played, then melting into another song. Victor identified the source as a small radio on the kitchen countertop.

"Music make you lose control. Music make you lose control. Let's go!" she sang, throwing her hands to both sides, promptly then dancing over to her microwave. She pulled out a casserole dish filled with something steaming. "Here we go now, here we go now, here we go now, here we go now!"

A few more seconds, she placed the casserole dish next to the roast beef pan, and began to dance in the middle of her kitchen again. She discarded her oven mitt, throwing it into an open drawer, then using her magic to open up the fridge and pull out a bottle.

"Hey sexy," Victor greeted, watching her shake her rear back and forth. She promptly stopped and whipped around, her eyes coming up to meet his.

"Hey there. You enjoy the show?" she asked. One eyebrow rose in questioning.

"Immensely," he responded with a coy grin, coming forward with open arms to give her a short and chaste kiss. "And dinner looks amazing."

Jenna blushed faintly. "Thanks. I did my best."

"Your best looks like it was heaven-sent," Vic replied. He inhaled deeply and let out a satisfied sigh. "I haven't eaten all day just for this."

Jenna smirked and patted his stomach through his thin cotton tee-shirt. "Than we need to fill this stomach, don't we?" she chuckled. "C'mon, sit, it's ready."

Jenna grabbed the roast and set it on the table, with a knife to cut it, and then set the casserole dish on the table as well. It was already set, with a pair of nice dishes and a single pale pink candle, to match the pale pink tablecloth.

"What would you like to drink?" she asked, looking into her fridge for assorted beverages. "I have Gatorade, milk, water, iced tea, and ginger ale."

"I'll grab a glass of water," he told her, walking over to what he already knew as her glasses cabinet, and pulling out a tall glass. He inserted it into a cavity in the fridge and out came water.

"Sit," she asked of him, as she took her own seat, patting the one next to her.

"It would be my honor," he replied with a small goofy grin. "I really appreciate all the trouble you've gone to. You must really like me to do all this."

Jenna's smile faltered for only a moment. "Yea, I do," she responded quietly. Victor noticed this and was about to question, but her perky demeanor rose again. "Would you like a piece of Roast Beef?"

He ignored the change in her voice for now. "Yes, please," he replied eagerly, watching her pick up three pieces and put them on his plate. "Mm.." he groaned, taking in the scent once more. "This smells delicious."

"Thanks," Jenna replied, blushing once more. "C'mon, let's eat."

An hour later, after the two had eaten their fill and Victor had helped her with washing her dishes, they retired to his house. It was about ten minutes before the game was due to start, and the two were cuddled on the couch, snacking on popcorn and soda. Cyborg was pressed against one armrest, and Jenna was cuddled into his body under his arm, her head resting just above his armpit.

"So…who do you want to win? The Jaguars, or the Panthers?" Victor asked.

"The Jaguars," she replied. "Naturally. They are the best football team besides the Steele City Supers."

"I swear," Vic breathed with a coy grin. "You are perfect."

Jenna chuckled and smiled. "Of course I am. Almost as perfect as you. That's why we have such good chemistry together. Don't you think?"

Before Victor could answer, Jenna's cell-phone went off with a resounding ring, and she had to pull away from their embrace to reach into her pocket and pull it out. "Hello?" she asked. A gruff voice on the other end replied. "Yea, I know." Pause. "I know." Pause. "I KNOW! God, I'll call you later. Bye."

"Who was that?" Vic asked once she discarded her cell phone into her pocket.

"Matty," she replied simply. "He called me to remind me I have work tomorrow, and I shouldn't be staying out too late with my boyfriend. God, you'd think he believes me to be a three year-old that can't take care of myself."

"I know how you feel. I'm the oldest of all the Titans yet they still treat me like a child," Vic responded. "I get sick of it, but I know they just care about me. Maybe a bit too much."

"Aww, but how can one not care about someone as adorable as you?" she asked.

"Adorable?" he asked in a scrutinizing manner. "Adorable? Don't you mean undeniably sexy?" Jenna smirked and crawled forward on her hands and knees, coming to hover over Victor by only centimeters.

"Of course I mean undeniably sexy," she cooed in a husky tone. "What was I thinking?" Her lips came down to rest softly upon his, as her hands traveled up from his stomach, over the hard muscles in his abdomen.

Meanwhile, Kori and Richard were standing just outside, knocking fervently. "What is taking him so long?" Richard asked his soon-to-be-wife. Richard reached for the knob and found it unlocked, so he easily pushed the door open.

"Vic?" Kori called innocently. Unfortunately for him, he did not hear her. The two traveled to the source of sound, the television in the living room, to see what had happened to their unresponsive comrade.

The two entered the arch of the living room doorway, and immediately looked to the couch. What they saw was a nearly heart attack-inducing sight. Victor was underneath a woman, who seemed to be attacking him with her mouth. And this was no woman.

It was JINX!

Kori let out a squeal of surprise, and the two snapped up to see Kori and Richard staring at them, wide-eyed. "Richard! Kori!" Vic exclaimed, as Jenna ashamedly climbed off of him and retreated to her own spot on the couch. "What are you two doing here?"

"We came to watch the football game, remember?" he asked him. "What is SHE doing here?" he sneered.

"Maybe I should go," Jenna muttered.

"No, Jenna, you can stay," Vic told her. "Look, I-"

"Well I prefer she leaves," Richard spat. "Really, Jinx, feel free to leave."

"Richard!" Kori and Victor both exclaimed at the same time. "Richard, calm down, let him explain himself!" Kori retorted, surprised her caring and affectionate fiancée could act in such a manner. Well, she wasn't too surprised, but that was a different story.

"Whatever," he seethed, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Richard, look, it's not what it looks like," Victor told him softly, coming forward to look him in the eye.

"It's not what it looks like?" Richard asked heatedly. "I think it looks like you were making out with Jinx on your couch, and you're telling me it's not what it looks like?"

"Richard! This isn't the Jinx we know. This isn't the sorceress that caused us pain during our time as Titans. She's moved on. She's innocent now. And she goes by Jenna," Victor told him, ending in a whisper.

Richard looked very apprehensive. "How can you tell me she's innocent? This is Jinx we're dealing with!"

"I would appreciate if you don't talk about me as if I were not in the room!" Jenna retorted, her arms crossed stubbornly over her chest. "And it's true! I have turned good…and…well, I fell in love with the good guy," she whispered softly, releasing her arms and taking Victor's hand.

Richard sighed and rubbed his forehead in an aggravated manner. "Jinx, uh, Jenna…whatever your name is…can we have a moment, please?" a hint of disgust still lacing his voice.

Jenna squeezed Victor's hand and looked up to him. He smiled reassuringly and released her fragile hand from his. "It's fine. Go."

Jenna left the room and they heard a door shut at the end of the hallway.

"Victor Mikhail Stone. Please tell me you were not stupid enough to believe whatever lies she's feeding you!" Richard exclaimed in a soft voice. "That's Jinx! She may have told you she's good, but whatever she says, I assure you she's not."

"Man, you just don't get it," Victor started softly, looking at him with the most hateful look he had ever produced. "I don't need to have it in on paper, signed in a contract, that she's good, because I believe her. I love her. And she loves me."

"But Vic-"

"No, man, listen," Victor interrupted. "She's telling the truth. I can tell. The shine in her eyes whenever I say something funny. The way she'll smile politely for anyone but she'll only smile genuinely around me. That's love man. Just think of how you feel around Kor. That's how I feel around Jenna."

Richard looked like he was having an inward battle with himself, as he began chewing his lip. Kori, like the innocent woman she was, tugged childishly at this sleeve and began to whisper in his ear.

Richard sighed after a few moments of listening to her whisper and intertwined their hands. "Vic…man…I'm sorry. You know you're like a brother to me. I don't think I should let a woman, even if that woman IS the former Jinx, come between us. C'mere you big oaf." He dropped Kori's hands and held his arms open wide, ready to accept this brotherly display of affection.

"I love you, you spiky-haired little runt," Vic replied, releasing him before ruffling his hair. "Jenna! Jenna, c'mere!" he yelled.

A few moments later Jenna came from the bedroom looking rather disgruntled. "Jenna, is it?" Richard asked.

"Yea," she replied stiffly, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Sorry about my little…er…fit. I guess I just can't forgive and forget that easily," he joked feebly. "Let bygones be bygones?" he reached out his hand to shake hers, but instead Jenna stepped forward and hugged him tight.

"Thanks. You don't know how much that means to me," she whispered in his ear, crushing him in a hug that rivaled Kori's. "Victor means so much to me and approval form his friends is the best thing I could ask for."

Jenna pulled away and looked Kori up and down, smiling mutely.

"Oh, new friend, I am gleeful to have you join or group of comrades!" Kori exclaimed in excitement, surging forward to squish Jenna into one of her famous hugs.

"Same here, but I need to breath," Jenna choked out. Kori blushed and relinquished the magical girl. "Look, not that it isn't nice to make up with you all, but my boss called an emergency meeting down where I work." Jenna looked up to Vic. "I'll be back when I can." She leaned up to kiss his cheek quickly. "About an hour and a half, ok?"

"Ok. Bye babe," he replied, squeezing her hand softly before she evaded the doorway with one last smile.

"Bye Jenna," Kori and Richard called. They barely caught her response.

Jenna walked out the door and removed her now ringing cell-phone from her back pocket. "Talk to me,"' she replied in a serious voice.

"Is your objective complete?" a masked voice on the other end asked.

"It's stupid that you're trying to hide your voice," she commented offhandedly, taking a sharp turn in the hallway that led towards the main entrance.

"The line could be tapped into! Is your objective complete?" the voice asked, a little more assertively this time.

"Yes, it is complete. They trust me. He trusts me. We'll achieve our ultimate goal in no time," Jenna replied in her same serious, monotone voice.

"Good. Report to headquarters immediately for next step of evasive action. Matty G, out." The line went dead.

Jenna slipped her cell phone back into her pocket, walking into the open door of the elevator to take her down to the first floor. As the doors began to slide close, her eyes began to glow bright red and an evil smirk crossed her features.

Victor would never know what hit him.

**TT2**


	15. The Black Baron

**A/N**: Yea, I'm pretty much in love with this chapter, and I've been fantasizing about putting it up for almost two weeks now. I hope you love it as much as I do. Because I certainly love all of you. Anyways, REALLY good chapters coming up, just to let you now. We get into some action, forbidden romance, drama, muttersdeathmutters.

**Disclaimer**: I own Teen Titans. Really, I'm wasting my time writing this story for no money when I could put it on the air and make tons of money out of it. Really, I'm not being sarcastic at all! (mutters idiots)

**TT2 **

**Sunday September 6, 2019**

"I'M BORED!" Taku exclaimed, letting his phrase ring about the entire living room.

"Must you be that loud?" Kyle asked, rubbing the insides of his ears delicately. "I have the biggest headache. I've never listened to so much loud music in one night." He sighed and leaned back onto the couch.

"Stop complaining," Danny cut in, from the spot where he was lying with his head on the headrest. "I saw you all cozy with Sara on the roof last night."

Kyle blushed an endearing hue of crimson. "Shut up. My interest for her is purely professional and platonic. She's a teammate, not a friend," he denied stolidly. If Danny didn't know any better, he would've believed it.

"Whatever."

"What do we have to do without the girls around?" Taku asked, busying himself by trying to blow a straight lock of ebony hair from his eyes.

"We can paint our toes and share our feelings!" Danny exclaimed sarcastically. The other two boys, though, did not pick up on this sarcasm and began to stare at him weirdly. "It's what the girls do when we're not around," he replied with an aggravated sigh. "I was kidding anyways."

"I think we should-" but the alarm began to ring incessantly and their communicators began to ring. They were already dressed, knowing Sara or Clara wouldn't be there to magically dress them.

Kyle was up in seconds and bound to the computer, typing in the access code. Blueprints, a picture, and a report came on the screen. The blueprints were of the Jump City branch of S.T.A.R. Labs. The picture was of a black silhouette.

"There's been a break-in at S.T.A.R. Labs," Kyle started, typing in another access code to bring up the report and a single section of the blueprints. "A black shadow was spotted as guards were making their Sunday rounds…no one's ever there on Sundays, so the guards come in to check up on everything. Titans, GO!"

Within minutes the teenagers were on the road, Hawk on his motorcycle, Taku resorting to stretching his limbs at great lengths at a time to catch up, and Danny creating a cloud of air to carry himself. It was hard not having the girls there for transportation.

"The girls won't be joining us. We're taking this one alone, boys!" Hawk shouted. "Whoever this is, he's going down!"

Hawk took a sharp turn onto Creek Boulevard, motioning his teammates to follow him with a sweep of his hand. "So, where is the S.T.A.R. building?" Danny asked

"Just up ahead!" Hawk replied, revving his vehicle, before pushing the gas a little harder. He slid to a stop in the parking lot, jumping off his motorcycle and starting to run towards the door. He pressed a button on the side, and the intercom began to crackle.

"State your name and-"

"Teen Titans!" the three boys replied hurriedly.

"Enter," the voice replied.

"The figure was seen on the fourth floor. The guards should be racking this place to find him," Hawk informed them. He ran towards a metal door at the end of a long hallway covered with other doors, one of which, read Victor Stone.

Hawk slammed open the door that revealed a staircase that ran along the edges of the wall. He reached into his utility belt and produced a grappling hook which he shot up to stick into the ceiling he propelled himself up to the fourth floor landing. Danny used a cloud to float himself to the same place, as Taku retracted his arm and launched it to spring himself up.

"Stairs waste time," Hawk joked with a half smile as he made sure his male teammates were accounted for and started through the heavy metal door.

"I can see that," Taku replied with a roll of his eyes, as they began running towards the sector the criminal had been spotted in. They approached two security guards running, who instantly whipped around at the sound of an intruder, but sighed in relief when they saw it was the costumed Titans.

"He went that way!" one of the guards informed them in a gruff voice, pointing towards a curve in the hallway. "He went left!"

The Titans skidded as they came to this corner and started left. There was a longer hallway, covered in doors, with an open door at the end. Just ten yards before the door was the black shadow.

"STOP!" Hawk yelled, picking up his pace so he was running the fastest he had ever run in his life. The criminal tried to pick up his pace, but could not match Hawk's speed. The criminal tried to reach the door, but Hawk had slid under his legs, picked himself up, and shut the door before the criminal could even register what had happened.

"What the-?" his voice was distorted. The criminal turned on his heel and then saw Danny and Taku coming his way. "Shit!"

He quickly slipped into the door on his left and began running through yet another hallway. "I said STOP!" Hawk yelled, running after him.

"LIKE I'M GONNA LISTEN TO A TITAN!" the criminal yelled back, launching himself up and kicking through a hidden trap door in the ceiling to the roof. Hawk, Danny, and Taku soon followed.

Taku stretched himself to the edge of the roof where the criminal was headed and stretched his torso out, creating a shield.

"Now tell us!" Hawk demanded, as he skidded to a halt in front of this adversary and stared him down menacingly. He was only two or three inches taller than Hawk, and from what he could detect of his voice it sounded aboutfifteen or sixteen. "Who are you?"

"My name? Simple. I'm Black Baron." He pushed back the folds of his long black cloak to reveal a full black body suit complete with mask. His hands, his chest and his face had three silver slashes each. A silver belt was slung around his waist.

"What do you want?" Kyle spat out through gritted teeth.

"I already got what I want, you pathetic excuse for a hero," he sneered. Black Baron pulled off his glove and revealed underneath was a vial of transparent neon green liquid held by a tiny holder jutting from the arm of his suit. "Truth serum." A long, thin scar was running up his palm, to the tip of his middle finger, magnified by the bottle. Black Baron replaced his black glove. "Now if you don't mind…"

"In fact, we do!" Danny grunted, producing a fire blast that just missed his side.

"You dunce!" Baron hissed. "If this serum ignites, it'll blow us all to high heaven!" Baron retaliated with pulling out a round silver disk and tossing it to Hawk and Danny's feet. It produced massive clouds of black smoke.

Taku pulled back from his shield and stretched his neck to look above the smoke. Baron was about to jump from the roof. "He's getting away!"

Hawk ran through the smoke, hand cupping his mouth, with three hawk-a-rangs ready in his hands. He could hear the shuffling of his newfound enemy and took aim, before throwing them.

"ACK!" Was heard. The smoke cleared soon after,. It revealed Baron trying to get himself unstuck from the roof, which Hawk's hawk-a-rangs had expertly done.

With a mighty tug he freed all of them, and took a daring leap. Taku stretched his arm forward and wrapped it around his legs. Danny used air currents to lift him back to the roof. Baron stretched out his palm and out came a thin silver laser, burning Taku's arm. He withdrew it immediately and began grunting in immense pain. Baron used a jagged piece of metal to throw off Danny and escape his air currents, before swiftly running just a centimeter from Hawk's grasp and jumping off the roof. He floated to the ground and somehow landed safely four stories below, before running into a dark alleyway.

"God-" Hawk started, but stopped himself and refrained from swearing. It was a bad example to set for his younger teammates. Hawk pounded his fist into his hand and settled for gritting his teeth in anger.

"Help me!" Taku asked desperately. "Help!" His voice was cracking and he seemed moments away from sobbing.

"Taku?" Hawk asked worriedly, turning around and rushing to his fallen teammate. "What's wrong? I thought you couldn't get hurt?"

"Apparently I'm not invincible-" he gasped in pain. "-to lasers."

Hawk moved the hand that was covering the burn on his arm and his eyes widened. There was a long jagged streak on his arm, bright red and beginning to turn purple. "Crud."

"It hurts. Real bad," Taku told him, returning his hand to its original position.

"C'mon, let's get you home to the medical ward," Hawk started, helping him up and starting him towards the door that led to the inside. With his free hand Hawk pulled out his communicator.

"Taku…man…are you ok?" Danny asked, joining on the other side to help him.

"Just jolly," he replied, wincing in pain.

"Sara…Clara…someone, please, pick up," Hawk pleaded over his static-y communicator. A blurred face appeared on the screen, and the image cleared into Clara's face. Behind her, a yellow dress was being thrown onto a pile of other brightly colored dresses.

"Yea?" she asked. "What's wrong, you sound worried? How was the bust, did you three do ok?"

"No, we didn't. The criminal got away and Taku's hurt…bad. We need one of you or both of you home right away to heal him," Hawk demanded.

"Taku's hurt? How?" Clara asked inquisitively.

"Is that a hint of worry in your voice?" a voice in the background asked.

"KIMI I SWEAR TO SATAN IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP THIS INSTANT I WILL-" Clara began to yell.

"Break it up!" another voice announced, which was most likely Sara. Her bright and jubilant face then appeared on the screen. "Sorry bout that. One or both of us will be home as soon as we can. Hang tight, Taku. Don't die on us."

"I'll try not to," he replied with a feeble smirk.

"Is it that bad?" Sara whispered when the communicator had centered back on Hawk. He looked a little hesitant to answer. "Ok."

The communicator focused back on Clara. "We'll be there right away with Kimi. Taku, smile for me." Taku smiled, though not quite as large as his normal smile. "Now there's the Taku I know. Hang in there. Clara, out."

Taku groaned as he clutched his arm tightly. "It hurts. It hurts so much," he began to whine.

"Crud…" Danny started. "How are we supposed to get Taku home?"

Suddenly, something materialized just in front of them. The three boys yelped and jumped back, surprised as the blurry form cleared as Clara. "Hey boys," she greeted in her normal bored voice. "Two seconds after we hung up, Sara and I figured y'all wouldn't be smart enough to figure out how to get Taku home."

Danny and Kyle Shared annoyed looks, but Taku looked delighted. "Get me home!" he whined, clutching his arm tighter. "It hurts like a-!"

"Hold your tongue!" Clara snapped. "There's no time for cursing like that."

Taku sighed. "Fine Mom," he mumbled. "Just get me home!" Kyle and Danny relinquished him and let Clara take a quick look at his wound. Her countenance was that of mangled surprise.

"Kyle, Dan, get home as fast as you can," Clara told them seriously. "Taku, c'mere." She took his arm and her eyes began to glow black. "Mokree tinax litu," she chanted, before they began to whirl around, and within seconds, had disappeared.

"Get on the bed," Clara ordered, rushing towards a cabinet and pulling out a few necessities.

"Under any other circumstances, that might sound very risqué," he joked. Clara rolled her eyes as he laid back on one of the hospital wing beds.

"You are so immature," she sighed. Clara walked back to the bed and dumped the necessities on the bed stand. "Move your hand."

"Really? I would think a comment like that would mean I was mature..." he trailed off thoughtfully with a small smirk "What do you think?"

Clara let out a soft, irritated breath. "Move you hand," she ordered again.

Taku did as he was told, before sitting up slightly so his back was resting against the headboard. "Wait…would you mind…" Taku blushed slightly. "I feel awkward asking, but do you mind grabbing those pillows over there and putting them behind my back?"

Clara raised an eyebrow, but complied, grabbing two pillows from the nearby bed and placing them gently behind Taku. "Thanks."

"No problem," she replied curtly. Clara nodded her head in disbelief as she carefully surveyed Taku's wound. It was on the middle of his forearm, a long, jagged, red streak that had the beginnings of purple, blue, and black bruising. Not to mention there was a considerable amount of swelling. "This is horrible." She clucked her tongue.

"Apparently, I am vulnerable to something," he joked, but hissed in pain when Clara lightly put pressure on the wound. "That hurts."

"I can tell. Martana Kiannar," Clara whispered, her eyes glowing black. Taku's eyes widened and he gasped in pain as Clara's hands stayed rooted over the wound. After she had removed her hands, the wound was reduced substantially, but still looking rather nasty.

"Why-?" Taku started, but Clara cut in.

"My powers are only charged so much, and I as a person can only do so much," she explained. "How much I can heal your wounddepends on my healing abilities, the size of your wound, how much energy I have within my body, and many other variables."

"Oh," he replied, dumbfounded.

"It'll be very sore for the next few days. I strongly suggest you don't use this arm," she told him, grabbing a bandage from the nightstand and beginning to wrap it on his arm.

"But-"

Clara gave him the deadliest look she could muster, and he promptly shut up. "That's what I thought," she replied, finishing the wrapping and pinning it together with the clip. "I'll see it tomorrow and heal it some more, but even with my healing, it'll still be sore. You might have a mark for a while too."

"Thanks," he whispered softly, looking up and watching her with his large, emerald eyes. "You're like my own little nurse."

Clara half-smiled. "Don't get too used to it. That was an unusual act of kindness on my behalf," she joked. "I am not, under any circumstances, anyone's little nurse."

"But it's me," he responded in a sickeningly sweet voice, followed by an even more sickeningly sweet smile. "You know you want to be my little nurse."

Clara smirked and brushed back small strands of emerald hair. "If you get hurt as often as Kimi does, I guess I'll have to be your little nurse."

"Well, just because I'm not hurt doesn't mean I don't need healing," he murmured, his eyes shutting softly as Clara leaned down and he leaned up.

"CLARA! TAKU!" Kyle's voice sounded. Seconds later, after they both snapped back to their original positions, Kyle appeared in the doorway. "Kimi and Sara are here. We're having an emergency meeting in the living room to discuss our new adversary," he stated with a smirk. "Go get changed and meet up in the living room in ten minutes, m'kay?"

"Ok," they replied in unison. Kyle looked between the two and then evaded the doorway. Clara offered a hand to help him off of the bed and he accepted gratefully.

"Thanks," he told her. "I just hope this arm heals soon."

"No problem. And don't worry, it will heal soon," she replied. "I promise. My magic's never failed me before." Taku smirked.

They walked side by side in silence until they met the point where they had to diverge to go to their separate quarters. A slight awkward silence met them. "Uh…I have to go to my room, so uh…see you in ten minutes."

"Uh yea. Same to you," he replied awkwardly, with a short smile, before he jogged into his room and let the door shut tight behind him.

TT 

"Hello," Kyle started with a small smirk as all of his teammates gathered in the living room ten minutes later.

"Hi!" Sara replied jubilantly, but that was it. Danny and Kimi were huddled together discussing something apparently hilarious, while Clara was sitting there, staring into space and Taku was listening to an mp3 player.

Taku pulled out his earphones just as Kyle began speaking again. "Do y'all mind listening or do I have to do this the hard way?" he asked.

"I'll listen! Kimi jutted in. "I'm interested in hearing about this mysterious 'Black Baron'."

"I swear, this guy's got an ego problem," Taku murmured unhappily. "I'm suing him if my arm never heals." He patted the side of his arm where it would not hurt. "This is gonna be in pain for quite a while."

"Oh stop whining, you big baby," Clara retorted. "I told you that you'd be fine. And trust me, I am always right."

"Talk about ego problem," Taku mumbled. "You are the most-" he started to tell her, but Kyle promptly interrupted and put an end to their pointless little argument.

"Now, kiddies, stop your flirting. We have business to attend to," he started simply.

"Flirting? KIDDIES?" the two asked in unison.

"Whatever, whatever," he replied, brushing it off with a simple hand gesture. "Now, getting to business, we'll have to brief the women on our new enemy. Black Baron, he calls himself." Kyle turned around and typed something into the computer. An image of Black Baron, standing stolidly, appeared.

"Whoa," Sara and Kimi breathed at the same time. "He's hot!"

Kyle turned to Sara with a look of shock and horror on his face, and Danny turned to his girlfriend with a mix of fury and hurt plastered across his features. "Excuse me?" Kyle asked, his arms coming up to cross over his chest. "Would you like to repeat that, girls?"

"And so Black Baron is changed to Danny,"Danny whimpered to Kimi.

"Oh, don't worry, no one can hold a candle to you," Kimi told him reassuringly, pecking him on the cheek.

"Much better," Danny replied, sitting back onto the couch with a smug grin on his face. Kimi smiled as well, leaning back into the crook of his arm.

"If we may continue," Kyle continued exasperatedly. "This is Black Baron. Apparently a master of weaponry and martial arts alike, he was impossible for the three of us to beat, so he shall be quite the challenge for all six of us."

Sara smirked, and Kyle caught this, but stated nothing. Instead, Clara took that upon herself. "Hey Sare, just because you think he's undeniably sexy is no reason to think you'll be able to beat him single-handedly."

"Clara!" Sara gasped. "If you want to talk about undeniably sexy, why don't you go sh-" But Clara promptly murmured an incantation to form a black mass over Sara's mouth. Sara counteracted it with her own magic, but let the argument go.

Kyle sighed in exasperation and rubbed his forehead. "The attention span of six-year olds! Now if we may continue, as we men of the team have seen, he has a gadget in that belt of his to counteract all of our powers. He's been able to outdo all of my weapons, he has a laser that can apparently hurt Taku, and he has weapons to throw off Danny's concentration while using his powers. The next time we see him, no doubt he'll have a trick up his sleeve for you three." Kyle nodded towards Kimi, Clara, and Sara.

"Well, until then, I guess we'll need to be training double hard," Sara suggested innocently.

"Don't give him ideas like that," Danny groaned.

"If you don't like my training regimens, then…well…" Kyle trailed off, thinking. "Well it doesn't matter what you think because I'm the leader and you have to follow my training regimens anyways."

Danny whined in annoyance. "I think that's very reasonable," Kimi cut in. "If we want to be able to beat this…person….whoever it may be, we need to train extra-hard and make sure we're in top condition to do so."

"Which is why I have set up a period of training for today. I know it's Sunday and I promised we'd never train on weekends, but I feel it's necessary. I have a bad feeling that we'll be seeing Baron very soon," Kyle told them. "Our training is for today at five-thirty until seven, so you guys have about two hours to chill until then, ok?"

There was a murmur of agreement in the room, and Kyle promptly ended the emergency meeting, letting his five other teammates go off their separate ways.

**TT2**


	16. Jake

**A/N**: WARNING: this is a SHORT chapter. I needed to introduce a character, and I needed to give a filler between two of the teenage chapters. Don't be mad, the adults should get good soon...

**Disclaimer**: We've been over this...I don't own Teen Titans

**TT2**

**Sunday September 6, 2019**

Later that night, at about five o clock, Victor got the call that stated his laboratory had been broken into. He was told not to worry since it seemed as if nothing had been taken, and he would be able to assess the damage the next day when he came into work. This information did not calm him in the least; he was very on edge.

"Vic, they said nothing had been taken, right?" Gar started in an attempt to calm his unnerved friend. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's fine."

"But what if they stole the blueprints for my holo-ring? Who knows what they could do with them. They could be sold on the black market, or mass-produced, or…or…." Vic trailed off and sighed. "Whatever, I just won't think about it."

"Yea, think about something else to keep your mind occupied…Jenna, perhaps?" Garfield quipped.

Garfield and Raven had been told about "Jinx", and they both acted surprised when they heard (though they had both already known). Victor had pulled him aside when they both volunteered to go get drinks from the fridge and thanked him for keeping his secret.

"Who even knows about my new project?" he asked himself aloud. "I mean, who would WANT my project, besides the millions of dollars it's worth? It doesn't make any sense."

"What if whoever broke into your lab did not break in for your rings. What if they broke in for something other than those rings?" Kori suggested innocently. "I am meaning, that is not the only project you are working on right now, correct?"

"Well…no…" Victor trailed off, rubbing his bald head. "I guess there's no use worrying about it tonight, anyways."

The five friends continued to watch the football game in silence, Raven and Kori in hushed conversation as not to bother the boys watching their precious sports. Suddenly, Victor's cell phone that was situated on the coffee table began to ring loudly, making 3/5 of the people in the room jump.

Victor picked it up, and without a word, went into the hallway. The caller ID read Jenna. "Hey there," he stated into the receiver.

"Hey babe," the voice on the other end sounded. "Look, I'm sorry, but I can't come back tonight. After my staff meeting, I got an emergency call from my sister, and she wants me to look after her son. He's sixteen, but they had a scare lately when someone broke into their house and she doesn't want him alone. I'm really sorry," she smoothly lied.

"Well, if he doesn't mind, he's welcome over here to watch the game with us," Victor offered. "Really, it's ok."

"Are you sure?" Jenna asked. "I mean, I know you already have a lot of people there with the Titans and all…" she trailed off.

"I'm sure, Jenna. You can bring him over, it's fine, I promise," he told her.

"Thanks," she replied sweetly. "You really are the best."

"Only second to you. I'll see you in twenty."

"Bye babe," she closed, before a short beep signaled the end of their connection.

Victor returned to his living room and plopped down into the comfortable seat cushion in between Richard and Garfield. "Jenna's coming over, and she's bringing her nephew…she's on babysitting duty for tonight."

Garfield and Richard grunted in response, watching the play with immense interest. "Cool," Kori and Raven both responded uninterestedly, both caught up in conversation with one another.

Victor rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself. "Some things will never change."

A commercial soon came, which meant the girls would join their fiancées on the couch, cuddling close, while engaging in conversation.

"The New Titans are doing pretty good, aren't they?" Gar asked, loosening his grip around Raven's waist to brush back locks of his emerald hair. None of them were wearing their rings, besides Victor, who insisted he didn't want to tear hic couch's fabric with his gears.

"Yea, they are. This new team's amazing. Might just outdo us!" Richard joked with a small smirk. "And I hear they take after their predecessors. Kyle is the spitting likeness of Batman and I, and Sara and Kimi are most definitely the group's Starfire. And not to mention Taku, the group's Beast Boy."

"I've actually heard that," Raven commented. "I read in the papers, some reporter's opinion, that this group is most definitely like us."

"Did you hear about my daughter's new little nemesis?" Kori asked gleefully. "She has her first big foe...I couldn't be prouder!"

Richard looked to his fiancée in an inquisitive manner, but let it go. "Apparently. Anyways-" but Richard was cut off by the ringing of the doorbell. Victor happily jumped up to go answer it, knowing it would be Jenna.

"Who is it?" he asked in a sing-song voice as he approached the door.

"Who do you think it is?" she retorted.

"I don't know. Some random caller at five-thirty," he replied innocently, before letting the door swing open. "Hey baby."

"Hey yourself," she replied, leaning up on her toes to kiss him softly. "I couldn't stand being without you for an hour," she stated in a soft and sad voice, poking out her lower lip. "Did you miss me?"

"More than I've ever missed anyone," he replied truthfully, with a small smirk.

"Well," Jenna stepped back and motioned to a figure in the doorway. "This is Jake. He's my nephew. Jake, say hi."

"Hi," the boy mumbled. Victor looked him over for just a few seconds. His first impression was to think as if the boy had not eaten in two weeks. He wasn't anorexic-thin, but he could be classified as somewhat close. The tight black shirt he was wearing showed off the only muscles he had, in his arms and abdomen. He had ruffled brunette hair with black streaks, and dark, almost black, eyes with a bit of green, and a fashion sense that screamed 'I've raided Raven's closet'. A laptop case was slung over his shoulder.

"Hey," Vic greeted, sticking out his hand to shake. Jake merely ignored it and walked past Victor into the hallway, which opened into nearly all the rooms in the house.

"Nice place you got here," he complimented in a monotone voice.

"Uh…thanks," Victor replied. He closed the door softly, and turned to give Jenna an inquisitive look.

Jenna smiled nervously and blushed softly. "Um…Jake's a bit…anti-social with adults. Don't get me wrong, he's plenty social, but only with people his own age. He's going through his 'I'm a depressed and misunderstood teenager' phase," Jenna explained. "Don't mind his manners, he wasn't exactly raised by the best of people. Of course I love my sister, and she's not a villain by any means, but she has a short fuse and no use for politeness," she lied again.

"Ahh…" Victor trailed off. "I get what you mean."

The pair followed Jake into the living room where everyone was sitting. He took a seat in an empty armchair, relaxing for a second. "Guys, this is Jake," Victor explained. "He's Jenna's nephew. He's going to watch the game with us, k?"

There was a murmur of agreement, and Victor and Jenna took a spot on the couch. "Anyways, as I was saying," Richard continued. "Apparently, their new foe is some guy who calls himself Black Baron."

Unnoticed by anyone, Jake's ears perked up as he curled himself up in the arm chair. He began listening intently to their conversation.

"He's apparently really good, or that's what I've heard. Taku really got hurt bad today at S.T.A.R. I mean, this guy is by no stretch of the imagination the next Slade, but he could be dangerous," Richard stated seriously. "And we all know how capable teenage boys are of committing crimes. Just look at Red X. Come to think of it, this boy might be the next Red X."

Victor, though, ignored the 'he might be the next Red X' comment. "Taku got hurt? At S.T.A.R.?"he asked worriedly.

"Yea. Laser to the arm. Apparently the only thing he's susceptible to," Richard responded.

"That's horrible," Raven gasped.

"It was all fine, in the end," Richard told them. "Clara healed him, and he should be able to use his arm as normal as he was able to before. I sense something going on between them. Maybe the next Beast Boy and Raven?"

Raven smirked. "Well I definitely think I see Sara and Kyle as the next Robin and Starfire. He's going to be too obsessed with his work, and one day she'll take matters into her own hands, slap him, and tell him that she loves him."

Kori and Richard blushed thirteen shades of red. "It did not happen in exactly that way…" Kori trailed off. "I assure you. There was no slapping, and there was no 'taking of the matters into my own hands'. There was only my proclamation of love."

"Yea, sure," Raven replied jokingly.

The game came back on and the chatter soon died down (well, Raven and Kori continued talking). Jake pulled out his laptop, and began typing furiously.

Thirty minutes later, Jenna released herself from Victor's arms to go over and see what he was doing as he furiously typed.

"Can I go to Joe-Joe's house?" Jake asked spiritedly, looking back down to his computer and typing again. "He just got his tonsils out and he has them in a jar!"

Jenna looked onto the screen of the laptop and raised her eyebrows. It was apparent he was IMing his friends. "Ew. No. I'm sure your mother wouldn't want you out looking at parts of people's bodies," Jenna told him, responsible female figure that she was.

"Fine," he sighed in exasperation. "Then at six thirty can I go to Andrew's house? He just got the new Korn CD and Leila's going over there listen to it too."

"We'll see," Jenna replied meditatively. "If you're a good boy."

"Well, it takes fifteen minutes to get over there so I need to know by six," he told her. "Besides, I'm ALWAYSa good boy." Then, he added, "Just nothing you ever see." There was a slight pause. "Please?"

"I guess you can go. Your mom didn't tell you that you couldn't hang out with Andrew anymore? I thought she didn't trust that boy?" she asked inquisitively.

"No, that's Tommy she doesn't like," he whispered, keeping his voice down so he didn't disturb the Titans watching the game. "And can I take your car?" Jenna looked taken aback at such a prospect. "Please?"

"If you must. You know I trust you as a driver, so please don't destroy that trust," she told him, kissing the top of his head tenderly. "Be back by eight, I need the car to get home, ok bubby?"

"Ok," he whispered, closing his laptop and slipping it back into the case. "Seeya later Aunt Jenna."

The Titans exchanged slight awkward goodbyes with the teenager they had only seen for all of thirty minutes. Jenna returned to her position with Victor on the couch as she watched her nephew walk out the hallway. Moments later the door closed with a soft click, and they knew he had left.

"Well, he's a nice boy," Victor stated at the next commercial break. "A little quiet, but nice."

"Yea," Jenna started softly and sadly. "I love him like he were my own child. A little hell-raiser, he is, though. I think he has a bit of his auntie in 'em."

Victor chuckled softly. "I'm sure he does, Jenna."

**TT2**


	17. Black Roses and Nighttime Skies

**Disclaimer:** like mad, man, Teen Titans are not mine!

**A/N**: I'm posting this on both this chapter and the next to make sure you all read it. IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, you may not realize why I am taking the twist I am taking. You may disagree with it. I respect all of your opinions, but I needed a big story plot for Beast Boy and Raven, so the next chapter is the introduction to the their big plot, and an introduction to asubplot of Robin and Star.

I hope you like this chapter...

**TT2**

**Sunday September 6, 2019**

"Kimi!" Danny called, from his position where he was concentrating on lighting a punching bag (solely used for this purpose, I assure you) on fire. "Help me for a second, will you?"

"M'kay!" she called from a weight machine where she was currently benching two-point-five thousand. Not much of a challenge for herself, but it was to start her off easy. Kimi returned the bar to it's original position and hopped off, dusting her hands. "What do you need?" she asked as she walked over to where he was.

"Grab that timer over there, will ya?" he asked, leaning onto one leg and resting for the few moments it took for her to do what he requested. "Time how long it takes for me to set the punching bag on fire, k?"

"Ok," she replied, poising her fingers over the timer. "And…GO!"

Instantly, Danny focused his thinking on the punching bag, to turn it into flames. It sparked almost immediately, but it took a few seconds for it to go up into flames. In a millisecond he had produced waves of water and put out the fire.

"Good," Kimi told him. "Three forty-six."

"Try again," he told her. "I want to beat two seconds."

"Ok…GO!" Danny again concentrated on sending the bag up in flames, ands this time it was almost instantly. He once more cooled it off with waves of water. "Better. Two ninety-seven."

"Still not good enough," he grunted. "I want to get under two seconds. I need to act fast in battle."

"It's ok, Dan-Dan. You'll get it, I promise. Keep trying," she told him, kissing his cheek before walking on to continue her weightlifting. Afterwards, she would improve her starbolts on the punching bag next to Danny.

"Hey Kimi, need a spot?" Taku asked as he wandered over to her machine.

"No offense, but you wouldn't be able to spot me if you tried. I'm going up to five-thousand," she told him with a small chuckle. "You're welcome to watch, though."

Taku smirked. "Yea, never mind. I need to find something to do with my arm in this condition. I can't train it, because Clara told me to keep off it for a few days. It's very annoying."

"Well, maybe Clara can suggest something for you to do," Kimi told him, cranking up the weight on her machine and sitting back on it. "Go find her, she's helping Kyle with his sparring."

"Thanks Kim…don't go too hard on that weightlifting," he joked, getting ready to walk away.

"I couldn't if I tried. Ever try to lift a Tamaranian Glorksnaff?"

"Do I want to know what that is?" he asked. Kimi smirked and shook her head. "Then I won't even bother asking, m'kay?" Taku walked on, towards the sparring mats where Clara and Kyle were said to be training. He sighed and patted the side of his arm where it wouldn't hurt if he touched it, but a sting of pain ran up his arm. He let out a painful grunt and clutched his arm to his chest, willing away the pain. "Crap!" he seethed. "Clara! Clara!" he called.

"What?" she asked from a little way away. "Who's calling me."

"Taku!" he replied, clutching his arm as he began to run through many rows of equipment until he came upon the sparring mats where Clara was helping Kyle with his moves. "Clara?"

"What?" she snapped, though not as rudely as you might've expected.

"My arm…" he trailed off.

"Oh dear….c'mere," she told him, leaving Kyle to come forward and meet him halfway across the mat. "Give me your arm." He complied and let her hold his bandaged arm gently. Slowly, she began to unwrap it, revealing a throbbing red wound, swelled to the point where it looked as if it were going to burst. "What did you do?" she asked him.

"I don't know! I just rubbed it really softly and it began hurting." Taku gasped and let out a mangled cry of pain as it began throbbing harder.

"Martana Kiannar," Clara hissed as her eyes began to glow black, her hand over the wounded area. The size, once more, reduced itself, but not by much. Taku was still in pain. "Crap."

"What?" Taku asked worriedly. "What's wrong? What's wrong with my arm? Am I going to die?"

Clara tutted, rolling her eyes. "You're so dramatic," she told him. "You're not going to die, but this looks pretty bad. Hold on. "Akreion Book of Unnatural Injuries," she whispered, her hand stretched out and her eyes glowing black. "HEADS UP!" she called to Danny, who ducked just in time before a book could fly right into his head.

"Whoa…" Taku breathed, watching as the book flew into her hand.

"Keep your arm up," she ordered, watching him suspend his arm in midair as she relinquished it to open her book. She checked the index, looking for something that could help her. "Electronically caused injuries," she mumbled, flipping to the page it indicated. "Electrocution…no…Lasers! The laser puts a specially formed molecule inside the skin that can cause…um…let's see…"

"Tell me straight out…will I live?" he asked, using his good arm to lay a hand over his forehead. "I feel faint already. I see the light. Gram-Gram, is that you?"

Clara looked up and glared at him hatefully. "Stop being so melodramatic. You'll live. Rikar eal meta pirie cludrastron!" After she uttered this incantation, Taku's arm was engulfed in a white-blue light, and immediately his skin began to heal. There was only a slight stinging pain, and the bruising was gone. All that was left was a small red slash.

"Nice," he stated, watching her wrap the bandage back on.

"Hopefully this will stay. I don't know what happened with my other spell, because normally it works for all types of injuries. I'll have to look into that…" she trailed off thoughtfully. "Anyways, you should be free to use that arm, but keep the bandage on when you're not in battle for safety's sake. The components in that laser could possibly lead to bone deterioration, since your bones are of rubber,and eventually break your arm if you don't keep sufficient wrappings on it." Taku looked as if he were about to question her. "I don't make the laws of medicine and rubber, I just follow them."

Taku grinned. "Thanks!" He came forward and enveloped her in a hug.

Clara was very surprised, but regained composure and pushed him away. "You're welcome," she replied stiffly. "Now, I would appreciate if you would never-"

"Yea, yea, no hugs, I got it," he replied with an exaggerated sigh. "You're very anti-social for a girl your age, you know that?"

"And damn proud," she replied in a bored voice. "Now, may I please go back to helping Kyle?"

"Uh, yea, sure whatever," he responded indifferently. "Thanks again."

Clara half-smiled and watched him walk away, before walking back to Kyle. "Ok…so where were we?"

As Kyle got ready to respond, though, the alarm began to sound and the room began to flash red. "I bet anything it's Baron!" Kyle shouted. "Titans, group!"

The six met in a small circle in the middle of the training room. Kyle checked his communicator, and a screen of Black Baron immediately popped up. This time, the break-in was Wayne Industries. Clara and Sara immediately began to get them ready for their mission. Once they were all dressed and composed, Kyle shouted the ever-timeless phrase, "Titans, GO!".

Minutes later found the six Titans on the road: of course Kyle was on his motorcycle, while Clara, Sara, and Kimi flew above him. Taku was moving on his own, using his stretching ability to keep up, and Kimi was carrying Danny. Kyle took a sharp turn into a tunnel that led into the commercial part of town and passed a stationary police car. The siren almost immediately went on, but was turned off after the speeder was identified as the Teen Titans' leader.

As the six teens arrived/landed in the parking lot of the prestigious Wayne Enterprises, each was already running towards the front door. "He was spotted on floor twenty-seven!" Hawk announced.

"It's going to take us forever to get up there! He'll be gone by then!" Kimi exclaimed.

"Then let's do this my way!" he retorted, pulling out a grappling hook and shooting it up towards the very top (which was rather far) of the building.

"You heard the man," Taku started, watching in astonishment as their leader pulled this incredible feat. "We're doing this his way." Taku bent his knees and sprung himself up, stopping at the floor Hawk did, to let himself inside an open window. Within seconds the girls and Danny had joined them.

"You sure this is the twenty-seventh floor?" Danny asked as he began running alongside their leader.

"It should be," Hawk responded. "Either that or I counted wrong."

"Whatever," Danny responded. "Let's just find this guy. I'm determined to make him pay for what he did to Taku."

"Thanks, man," Taku responded with a cheeky grin.

They ran out from the office they had landed in, into a hallway that was dark except for a single light at the end. As soon as the hallway came into view, they saw and heard the door under the light snap shut. "It's him!" Clara shouted.

The Titans ran towards that door and were able tog et through it in seven seconds flat. It revealed a large white room, completely lit, with windows all around. It seemed to be some sort of laboratory.

"Show yourself!" Hawk shouted in a malicious voice. "We know you're in here!"

"Not for long!" his voice sounded back, as things began to crash and explode.

Danny, Taku, and Sara were all caught behind a cloud of smoke one of these exploding objects created, but Hawk, Moonfire, and Clara chased after him. Danny tried to clear the smoke with air currents, and eventually succeeded.

"Stop!" Hawk shouted, pulling out a Hawk-a-rang and aiming it at a fold in his cape. Baron, though, pulled his cape out of the way and slipped through a door.

Hawk moaned in frustration, continuing to pursue this foe. Moonfire levitated and began through the open door, fueling up powerful starbolts. She entered the new room and shot towards him, hoping to knock him unconscious, but he dodged them easily. He hadn't even been looking!

Moonfire became very angry and in turn her starbolts became more powerful. "Stop running and fight like a man!" she shouted, flying after him as fast as she could, trying to hit him with her starbolts but he dodged them every time.

The other two caught up to her, with Sara, Danny, and Taku not far behind. Clara began to hiss things in a different language and the pipes from the wall tried to grab and subdue him. It was no use, though; he was too fast. The pipes returned to their original position, as if no damage had been caused.

"I'm too fast for you!" he taunted as he blasted open a door with a bomb he had produced from his belt and began to take stairs two at a time up to a door marked 'roof'.

"Oh no you don't!" Sara yelled, unleashing her power at its greatest and summoning waves of blinding white light towards his body to try and slam him into a wall. He had other plans, though, for he jumped up and used some mechanism in the glove to propel himself up to the railing just before the roof door. He then shifted his body weight to jump up onto the landing and run out the door.

Hawk used his grappling hook to get up to the door and run out, following him. "Not so fast!" Hawk yelled, grabbing a couple of exploding spheres to throw them at his feet and catch him off guard. He did exactly this, and Baron was blown about ten feet east of where he was previously standing.

"Hot damn," he murmured, rubbing his head, before jumping up and facing his opponent. "You want to dance? Let's dance. You screw with me, you screw with the devil."

"Oh yeah? That's funny. The devil, eh?" Hawk retorted, his arms in position for a sparring match. Baron came forward with a high kick to his chest. Hawk stepped back and then quickly came forward to punch him in the face. It hit Baron, but he quickly regained himself and swiped at Hawk's feet to bring him to the ground. Hawk jumped over his feet, but missed as he tried a second time. He fell to the ground.

"Better luck next time, kid," he quipped, standing up and get ready to bolt. But before he could, though, Clara and Sara had appeared in the doorway and were combining their magic to create a shield in front of him.

"You little-" he turned and the slashes on his glove formed into three pieces of jagged metal. He came towards the two girls, and though Sara evaded his grasp he was able to trapped Clara, the backs of his gloves sticking into either side of her cape.

Clara began to struggle, but Black Baron only smirked. "Hey there."

"You despicable little-"

"What's your name, cutie?" he asked, ignoring her comment.

Her eyes began to turn black and she hissed something in a low voice. Within seconds an invisible force blew him back. "Not very friendly, are we?"

Moonfire then flew from the open door, coming up to Baron just as he stood up.

"Oh, Starfire's daughter," he spat. "This should be easy."

Moonfire dueled up starbolts and instantly began pelting them at him. Baron, though, pulled up silver shields with his hands each time, apparently another function of his suit.

"You are most definitely the worst, most foul little-"

"God, what is it with the women on this team and name-calling? All having your times of the month?" he quipped, pulling up a strong shield as she let one large starbolt go, one that would surely bring to him great harm if it had reached him.

"I hate you," Moonfire hissed through gritted teeth. "With a passion."

"Aw, I'm touched," he replied mockingly. His eyes widened, and then he pulled his head to the side to just narrowly avoid getting hit by Hawk. Danny came forward, watching as he was distracted by Hawk and Moonfire, bringing blasts of fire with him. One after another he released fire blasts, but they would only dissipate with a shield he pulled up.

Suddenly, an alarm began to sound within the building. "Security breech!"Hawk yelled. "Sara, Danny, follow me!" Kyle began towards the door to take on whatever idiots that decided to break in after Baron.

Taku, Clara, and Moonfire were left fighting Baron. "Taku, maneuver twelve c!" Moonfire shouted out, breathing in and out, flaring up her power into one large ball of energy. She struggled against the power, making it grow wild, moments away from slipping her grasp.

"Oh crap," Baron gasped, the eyeholes on his mask growing wide as Taku wrapped his arms around him to keep him still. Baron struggled, and just before Moonfire released her power Taku unraveled his arms and stepped away. Baron was hit head-on with her power, but somehow managed to get back up afterwards.

Clara growled in annoyance and summoned up three black waves of energy to push him back and hopefully diminish his last shred of consciousness. Baron had other plans, though, for he used some sort of force field to redirect the energy and send it towards Taku.

"TAKU!" Clara yelled, and he snapped back to attention just in time to get hit with it and be knocked off his feet. He apparently found the second thing he was vulnerable to: Clara's magic.

Black Baron came forward and stuck out his palms, two thin silver lasers coming from them. Taku rolled over just in time to avoid them, and he shot his leg up to kick Baron in the chest. He easily deflected it using one of his lasers, and Taku fell to the ground, moaning in pain. Moonfire came from the side and Clara came from the back, Clara getting ready with a powerful spell, Moonfire warming up her eyebeams.

"You think you're going to win," Taku hissed, clutching his leg, eyeing the girls sneaking up behind him.

Just in time, though, Baron swung around and was able to pull up a semi-circle shield that protected him from both attacks. He pulled three slashes from his belt and was able to throw them at Moonfire so he pinned her by the sleeves of her shirt and her skirt to a wall that covered the stairs inside.

"Let me go!" Moonfire shrieked, struggled her best, but to no avail.

Clara backed up as he started for her, extending the slashes on the backs of his gloves. Her eyes began to glow black and an incantation was on the tip of her tongue, but she was caught off guard as he rushed forward and pinned her cape to a wall that housed another door to the inside.

"Hey there," he started seductively as his face hovered inches from hers. "Don't you know you're too good for this? Why be good when you can be bad." His face came closer and Clara could tell from the tone in his voice he was smirking. "Join me…you could be my black rose."

Clara's features dropped, before she growled. "Sintar Pinakua!" she spat. Clara's body began to give off a black glow and he removed his hands with a hiss. The spell she had uttered would let her body give off intense heat, while affecting her naught.

Baron dashed just to the side to avoid the elongated punch of Taku. "Don't you dare touch her!" he spat, limping only slightly as he came forward. "Or you'll have to personally answer to me." Moonfire finally freed herself from his trap and flew forward to land next to Taku.

He chanced it for just a second to look back at Clara. "Think about it," he whispered, beginning to run towards her and brushing just past her (the spell had worn off) to take to a sprint and jump from the roof. The three Titans rushed forward to watch him disappear in mid-fall.

"Who was that?" Moonfire gasped, a hand coming up to cover her open mouth.

"I don't know, Kimi," Clara murmured. "I don't know."

**TT2**

The other three Titans had successfully apprehended their criminals; a pair of two-bit robbers who were hoping to snag something valuable in the Wayne Vaults while the Titans were busy battling Baron.

After the police had come and collected the apprehended criminals, the Titans started home. Clara immediately took to healing Taku's laser burns. Kimi went to her room, claiming she needed some time to think their first defeat over. Kyle decided to do the same, instead taking to the roof. Nightwing himself told him it was a great place to think. Danny and Sara agreed to train together in the gym, hoping to improve their skill for the next time they would be seeing Baron.

Taku and Clara were sitting on the couch, Clara's injury spell book set before her, as she read the incantation to heal Taku's leg. One of his legs was hanging off the couch while the injured one was stretched out; he was leaning his side against the back, and Clara was sitting just beside his knee. "It seems it really only effects me when it's strong. If it only passes over me for a second or two, I'll be fine," he told her.

"Makes sense," she replied softly.

There was an awkward silence. "I can't believe we let him get away," Taku whispered harshly. "There's six of us and one of him. How did we let that happen?" He pounded his fist into his hand.

"Calm down. Don't beat yourself up. That's pointless," she replied softly, her hands running over the long swollen mark on his skin. "It's not your fault. He's obviously expertly trained. We'll get him next time."

Taku seemed very unconvinced, but said nothing. Clara continued to heal in silence, exhaling and inhaling with each wave of her magic.

"You're very tense," Clara noted.

"I'm just a little hung up about our mission," he lied. In all reality, he had been a little hung up on Baron making such inappropriate innuendos towards Clara. It angered him to see a teammate treated in such a manner. He knew he would feel the same had it been Kimi or Sara.

"Calm down," she repeated. "It'll work out."

"Never saw you as the optimistic type," he replied with a goofy grin.

"Never saw myself as the optimistic type," she told him, looking up from his leg to smile slightly. "You're all done."

He grinned and bent his knee, before straightening it out again. "Thanks, Clare." He stood from the couch and paced a little, smiling. "Just like new."

"Glad I could help," she responded.

Taku took a seat again, this time sitting next to Clara. "So…do you want to train?" he asked innocently, with an (of course not in Clara's opinion) adorable smirk.

"I…" she trailed off, looking guiltily to the floor. "I just want to spend some time alone right now…maybe get some rest or do some writing."

"Oh…" there was an awkward pause. "That's ok…I think I'll probably do the same. I'm wiped and I want to rest. Y'know, the offer always stands."

Clara looked up from snapping her book shut. "I know. Thanks anyways." He smiled mutely, before evading the room at a leisurely pace. Clara slipped her book under her arm and began for her own room. She passed the gym on the way and stopped for just a short few minutes to see her counterpart had evaded the room, nowhere to be found. Clara shrugged to herself as she walked on, supposing she was talking with Kyle or Kimi. She spent much of her free time socializing with their new teammates.

The gothic girl walked on, arriving in the hallway where her bedroom resided. There was a fair volume of music coming from Kimi's room, and nothing from Taku's room except for light rustling. He must be napping.

Clara punched in the access code to her room and silently walked inside, observing her surroundings. Dark purples, blacks, and a few blues decorated the room lavishly, with bookcases lining one wall and a few magical items such as a potion bowl (which had not been called cauldrons since the second century A.D.), ingredients case, vials, and etc. in a corner of another wall. There was a wrought iron and glass desk to match her vanity, upon which were a few electronic items. Across from her black and purple-sheeted bed was her vanity, lavishly covered with potion bottles, perfume flasks, and make-up containers.

Clara walked over other window, a ritual she did almost once a day, to look out upon the ocean. The view from her room was beautiful, looking out on the horizon where the ocean met the sky. It was nighttime, and normally she would watch the sunset from her window, but it was still a beautiful view all the same. Stars dotted the onyx sky, twinkling brilliantly.

Clara raised her hands to put them on the sill, but found something was obstructing her way. She looked down to see a black rose on her windowsill, a small note underneath it. She picked up the note, which read:

_My Black Rose_

_You belong on my side. Do not forget that._

_Yours most dearly,_

_**Black Baron**_

_P.S. The Titans won't be able to see the ink on this paper. If you show them this note, it will be but blank to them. You're not the only one with magic on your side._

And it was just then that Clara realized her window was wide open.

**TT2**

A great wind blew by and rustled Kyle's already mussed russet locks. The sun was almost completely set over Jump City, creating a thick blanket of chills and darkness.

He was reflecting on their mission today, something he was prone to doing if something never went his way. Batman taught him that, as a good leader, you would go back and mull over what could make you and/or your team succeed.

"Hey there," a soft voice started. "What's up?"

Kyle smiled as he recognized the voice, the upbeat tone of his teammate Sara. She sat beside him and let her legs dangle over the edge of the tower. "Not much…you?"

"Same," she replied. "Looking back on the mission?" she asked, knowing him well enough in the week they had spent living together to know that he reflected on each mission and would usually lecture them about each one.

"Am I that predictable?"

"After this, you'll go downstairs, take either a Gatorade or a water, retire to your room to talk to your friends online a bit before failing asleep. No, you're not predictable at all," she chuckled.

Kyle sighed desolately, though his face perked right after with a half-smile. "Predictability isn't always bad, y'know," he told her in a matter-of-factly way. "It's always good to be able to predict things."

"But you have to be a little spontaneous in a while." Sara breathed in the fresh air from the body of water below them. "Just so you know."

Kyle pulled up his knees and created a bridge across them with his arms. "I know…what brings you up here so late?" he asked, nodding his head towards the setting sun. "Usually I'm the only one up here at sunset."

"I figured I needed a little air. I was feeling stifled in the tower and I need to think a little." Sara let out a soft breath and looked up to him. "I feel like something just…I don't even know…" Sara trailed off. "Today's been an awkward day for me…I've been a little out of sorts. My ex-boyfriend called me before we started training and just struck up a conversation like…well, like we were friends. And then my friends keep asking me why I don't want to go out with him anymore and…it's crazy. Makes me feel like a teenager again," shejoked, referring to heradult-like responsibility of watching over the city. Sara had, in the middle of talking, looked back down to her feet, picking at the hem of her pajama pants. She didn't feel well, and wouldn't be comfortable in anything but her PJs. "How's your day been."

"Fine," he replied shortly, looking away when she slowly looked up, to pretend as if he had not been watching her. "Getting beat twice though was a little blow to my ego. But we'll get him next time."

"Of course we will," Sara stated softly.

"So, tell, me," he started on a lighter and less lugubrious note. Kyle leaned back and used his elbows to prop himself up, looking to the stars already beginning to shine softly. "This ex-boyfriend…jerk-wad?"

Sara smiled and let a small chuckle escape her lips. "You have no idea." She leaned back next to him, crossing her legs. "This guy was the definition of mindless jock."

"Nice," Kyle responded with a smirk.

"Yea. Not one of the highest points in my love life. Or life for that matter. But boy was Tommy attractive," Sara told him, turning to face him, curious what his reaction would be.

"I needed to hear that," he replied, sticking out his tongue and closing his eyes in disgust for affect.

"Because I know you care aboutattractive guys," she finished, smiling wide.

"They're my obsession," he replied sarcastically.

Sara chuckled and looked towards the sky. The sun had completely set, and stars were now twinkling proudly, reflecting in the deep blue sea. Sara pulled her elbows out form under herself and laid down. Kyle followed suit.

"What about you? Any girlfriends you want to share?" she teased.

He smiled shortly, tucking his hands behind his head. "Naw, not really. Not much time for girlfriends when you're Batman's apprentice. A few relationships here and there, but no one special enough to mention."

"No one?" Sara asked, her head turned to face his profile.

"Well, there was one girl. Her name was Maddie. She was a great girl and all, but…I let my responsibility get in the way of that. It was hard to be with her because of Batman's instruction to never let anyone get close, especially someone your enemies could hurt," he told her. "So I broke things off with her."

"Did you love her?" Sara asked.

He opened his mouth to answer, but paused a second, before closing it again. He seemed to be fighting a fierce internal battle. "No," he finally answered a few silent moments later. "I really don't think I've ever loved anyone. My responsibility always gets in the way." There was another short silence. "Have you ever loved anyone?"

Sara brought her hand up to nervously scratch at her chin. "Well…" she trailed off and looked away. "I really don't feel like talking about that, if you don't mind," she told him softly, her voice reducing to a whisper.

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry," he apologized awkwardly.

"Don't be," she replied, her voice a hushed whisper, as she looked away. She didn't want him to see the tears welling in her eyes.

**TT2**


	18. Tickle Fights, Tears, and Fears

**IMPORTANT A/N**: I have recently recieved a review, warning me about bringing a criminal conflict into the Titans lives again. While I do agree, and while I have no intention of doing so, I do feel it is my obligation as the writer to inform you that you have the choice of what happens next. If you don't like the plot twist I am taking, then please tell me and I will change the chapter immediately. As well, there are "Go!" spoilers in this chapter, for anyone who has not seen this episode.

**TT2**

**Early morning Monday September 7, 2019**

Richard and Kori arrived home late that night, to find Galfore in the guest room, sleeping, back from his visit to Tamaran. He had gone for a few days, by request of one of the palace workers, to check up on things. He was the only real qualified ruler of Tamaran, besides Kori or, believe it or not, Kimi.

"Quiet," Kori whispered. "Galfore is a very light sleeper." It was true. The man, three-hundred pounds and eight feet tall, was a very delicate sleeper.

"I'll be quiet," Richard responded innocently. "Will you?" After this statement, he poked her in the ribs. She let out a gasp and her hands immediately flew to her side.

"You would not dare!" she breathed. He raised on sly eyebrow, and once they had entered the master bedroom Richard jumped forward and began tickling her mercilessly.

"You little-!" she began to say but they both fell on the bed and she squealed in surprise. "Oh no you do not!" She rolled him around and began tickling his ribs, occasionally poking his abdomen, which was a very sensitive spot to him.

"I'm not as ticklish as you!" Richard retorted.

"That is right…" she gasped when he rolled her around and began tickling her again. "…Dick!"

"What have I said about calling me Dick?" Richard asked, an eyebrow raised, as he ceased to tickle her.

"That it makes you feel like a wiener," she replied sweetly, reaching up to tug on his crisp white collar and pull him down. "But you are no wiener to me."

"Now that sounds like the Kori I know," he whispered, kissing her softly. He pulled away. "Mmm…" he trailed off, pulling away, his eyes closed.

"For your thoughts I would pay a penny," she told him, butt hen screwed up her face in thought. "Did I say it correctly?"

"Close enough," he chuckled. "I was just thinking…about the first time we kissed. You remember?"

"How could I forget?" she asked. "I am sorry I tried to kill you. Earth was strange to me. I thought you were trying to harm me like those awful Gordanians."

"I'd never hurt anyone as beautiful as you," he whispered, kissing her once more and rolling around so he was lying down and she was on top of him. "I still have trouble believing this beautiful alien I barely knew was making out with me in front of my future teammates. It was quite thrilling, but terrifying. I thought that was some sort of alien homicide ritual."

"Oh no. I was much exhilarated by your urge to help me. I felt I should return the favor. My people are not at all hesitant with their displays of affection," Kori replied, smiling. "Thank you, for helping me."

"You are most welcome," he whispered. "But Raven was the one who enlightened me that you might not be dangerous, just-well-dazed and confused."

"I was very angered at your urge to help me, at the time, you are aware," she told him. "But, now, I am glad you helped me. If you had not, I would have most likely spent my days in captivity, until they sold me as a bridal slave to one of their generals. I would not have been nearly as happy as I am now. I would have never believed I could ever be this happy."

"Well, I still can't believe I'll be able to do this-" he kissed her "-for the rest of my life."

"Neither can I. I will not be able to forget how horrible life without you was. Kimi was the only thing that kept me sane," she told him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him close. "I love you."

"And I love you," he replied. "C'mon, let's get some sleep."

They both got into their pajamas and crawled into bed, falling asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

And, not too far away, a great plot was forming to break up this love, by Starfire's one and only sister.

**TT2**

It was, as well, late that night when Garfield and Raven arrived home. It had been a late night for the both of them, and they were ready to fall asleep in their warm, comfortable bed.

Garfield threw his coat across the back of the couch, promising Raven he would pick it up when he had more energy, and ambled towards the answering machine. They had gotten only three messages since being out.

Raven, instead of going to the bedroom to change into her pajamas, came towards Gar and wrapped her arms around his waist. Using the hand that was not occupied with fiddling with the answering machine, he pulled her closer.

It began to feed out the date and time of the first message, which ending up just being blank. He deleted it and moved onto the next one. It, again, fed out the date and time, and then revealed itself as a message from Gar's boss, changing his work time tomorrow.

"Ooh, good," Raven commented. "I get off work at seven, so maybe we can have a nice dinner together tomorrow."

"You can count on it," he replied, kissing her forehead, as the third message came. The same record producer that had talked to Gar about his music career had left the message. He had left a message saying he would like to arrange a meeting around noon tomorrow at an upscale café on the boardwalk.

"That's great," Raven whispered as they began walking towards the bedroom. "My little Beast Boy's gonna be a rock star." Garfield smirked and removed his ring, letting his skin turn green, his hairs darken until they were emerald, and the tips of his ears begin to mold into points.

"I know. I'll be able to give you the life you deserve," he murmured. "And we'll be able to have a wonderful wedding." He kissed her, as they continued to walk.

"I wouldn't care if our wedding was the worst wedding anyone's ever seen. At least I would know I am spending the rest of my life with you," she replied softly.

"Y'know, if I were fourteen and someone told me when I was 28 I would be planning on getting married to Raven Roth, I would have laughed in their face.," he whispered.

Garfield stopped at the foot of their bed, wrapping his arms tighter around her waist and kissing her soundly. "And I probably would've blasted them to an imaginary dimension," she purred. "But now I've realized that you are the most caring, compassionate, handsome, funny guy I have ever met. And I love you."

"I-" he was about to reply but was cut off by the shrill ring of the doorbell. He sighed. "All these interruptions!" He grabbed his holo-ring, just in case, and slipped it over his slender finger. His appearance immediately changed, and looked into the hallway mirror with a satisfied smile, before opening to door.

"Hello?" he asked, as he poked his head out a crack in the door. It was dark out, as it was a little past midnight, and Garfield fumbled to find the light switch to turn on the outside light.

"Garfield?" a feminine voice asked. "Garfield!"

"Rita, hold back," a masculine voice sounded.

Garfield found the switch and flipped on the light, though he could already see slight outlines. "Who-who's there?" he asked, already knowing the answer. No voice but Raven's could ever be so familiar.

"Beast Boy?" the enlightened face of Mento asked. "Beast Boy, it is us. The Doom Patrol."

"No," Gar breathed softly.

"Baby, who is it?" Raven asked from just behind him. He tore his face out from the crack in the door and looked at her. She stood there so innocently, looking like an angel in her pajamas(obviously just having changed), a worried countenance spread across her features.

"Rae, go to bed. I'll be there in a minute," he told her. She looked as if she was about to argue, but he cut her off. "I promise, I'll be right there."

She hesitantly began walking away, with one last glance back. Her mouth formed the words 'I love you', before she disappeared down the hallway.

"What do you want?" Gar asked gently, sticking his head back into the crack in the door. "Why are you all here?"

Mento had been keeping a tight grip on Elasti-girl's shoulder, but she broke it and let the door swing open so she could throw her arms around Gar's neck. "Oh Garfield, I'm so sorry."

"What? Rita, why are you sorry?" he whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her. "What's wrong? What's happening?"

Elasti-girl pulled back and swiped at her eyes, though no tears had come to them. "Beast Boy, we need you. We need to reunite the team for one last mission," Mento started softly. He stepped aside to reveal Robotman and Negative Man. "The Brotherhood of Evil is working on conquering the world, once and for all. We need your help to be able to take them down."

"But, Steve," Gar started softly, rubbing his face, feeling a slight five-o-clock shadow forming. "I can't. I have to think about Raven, she-" he paused "-we're getting married. I can't leave her."

"You can, and you will," Mento demanded stolidly.

"Steve!"Elasti-girl gasped.

"What, Rita? Do you want me to lie to him and say we won't make him go? I don't care if you have a fiancée, the world needs your help!" Mento exclaimed softly, as not to alert her to their presence.

"But-"

"No buts, Beast Boy," he started softly. "The world needs you. We need you. And God knows how proud your fiancée will be when she sees you will be saving the world once more."

Garfield looked to the floor, before looking back up into his ex-leader's eyes. "When do you need me?" he asked.

"Within the week, we'll call upon you. Be ready," Mento advised him. "Oh, and Beast Boy?"

"Yea?" he asked, in a downcast tone.

"Don't tell anyone until the time comes. Not even Raven," Mento replied. "You're doing a good thing, son." Mento reached over and ruffled his blonde hair. "You're saving the world from a powerful enemy. If I were you, I'd be proud of myself."

How are you to be proud, when you know you won't come back alive?

"We'll be seeing you soon, Garfield," Elasti-girl whispered, coming forward to hug him again. "Take care."

"Take care, Rita," he whispered back, hugging her with all the force he possessed. He nodded in salutation to Mento, Robotman, and Negative Man. "I'll be seeing you all soon."

They left, without another word, leaving Garfield to shut the door softly and lean against it for support. He sighed softly, and began crying. What was he supposed to do? Die, just to keep the world safe?

But the world included Raven, and he knew he'd do anything to keep her safe; even if it meant risking his own life.

Gar sighed and wiped away his tears, before beginning towards the bedroom. Raven was perched quietly on the bed, her hands clasped in her lap, staring straight ahead. When Gar entered the bedroom, she stood and rushed to him.

"Rae," he breathed, taking her in his arms and hugging her tightly. "I love you so much, Raven. I'd do anything for you."

"Gar, what's this all about? Why are you-?" but he cut her off with a quiet and soothing "shh". He pulled away slightly and kissed her temple before hugging her tight once more.

"Don't talk. Just…" he trailed off with a sigh and began sniveling softly.

"Oh Gar," she breathed. He pulled back and cupped her face, looking into her beautiful amethyst eyes. They were filled with fear and worry, and her face was contorted into a mix of pain and anxiety. He swiftly pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly, still cradling her face.

Raven pulled away and brought her hand up to brush away locks of blonde hair from his eyes, to reveal his glistening tears. He looked at her, his lips trembling. "I'll love you no matter what. Don't ever forget that."

"I won't," she replied softly, letting him kiss her forehead tenderly. "I won't ever forget that. I love you too."

It was a long while, as they embraced again, before either made a move. Gar realized that Raven had fallen asleep, her breathing deep and even, calmed by his steady rhythmic heartbeat. He took a deep breath before picking her up, cradling her like she was a child, and walking towards the bed. Setting her down with ease, he bent over and kissed her on the forehead.

"Gar," she breathed in her sleep as he slipped towards the bathroom to brush his teeth. He took one look back and saw her sleeping peacefully, bathed in moonlight from the window. He couldn't break her heart and go off to fight with the Doom Patrol.

He sighed and went to brush his teeth. Afterwards, he silently slipped off his clothes and slipped on a pair of sweatpants over his boxers, before removing his holo-ring and setting it on his bedside table.

"Rae?" he asked when she rolled over and curled into the sheets, but she hadn't woken up. He sighed, sliding into bed next to her. Gar turned off the bedside lamp and curled up next to Raven, his thoughts overwhelming him as he stroked her violent violet locks.

He couldn't believe the Doom Patrol had just popped up and expected him to take them up on this final mission. It was so hard, thinking about this. He wanted to keep the world safe, and he wanted Raven to be safe, but crime-fighting was in the past. He needed to stay with Raven. If he couldn't promise his safe return, he would kill her on the inside. He couldn't do that to her.

"Goodnight, Raven," he whispered softly, his hand dropping from where it was entangled in her hair to rest on his own waist. "I love you."

He was asleep within moments, and did not hear Raven whisper back, "I love you, too."

**TT2**


	19. Forbidden Kisses

**A/N**: In case you haven't noticed, I have updated frquently. Those may reduce to once a week soon, since I'm running out of updates. I only have about three more chapters written out, and I need to write the rest. At this point, I'm estimating fourty or fifty chapters to this story. Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans are not mine. Of course I wish I owned Wally West, because he's hella sexy.

**TT2**

**Saturday September 12, 2019**

A few days passed by. Five to be exact. It was Saturday night and there had been hide nor hair of 'Black Baron'. It had been a slow week in comparison to the first three days, with only two missions. The first was a normal man trying to rob a toy store (go figure), and the second was a group of three robbers at an upscale jewelry store.

Clara had been only slightly reclusive, and had, as Sara had said was a common thing for her counterpart, dyed her hair. Instead of maroon, it was now a blue-black color, and she would everyday use a spell to keep it straight instead of curly. No one knew why she continued to act strange, but Taku swore that he saw a glittering black rose in her room when he had passed by.

The one thing she had not told anyone, though, was that she had come within an inch of death. If it had not been for one kind stranger, she would've been dead.

It was six on said Saturday night. Kyle, as would be expected of him, was training. Sara and Clara were talking on the end of the couch, debating over an old and worn spell book. Kimi and Danny were talking quietly, watching Scary Movie 3, with Taku on the other side of Kimi.

"I think I'll go start dinner…" Danny trailed off thoughtfully. "Any suggestions?"

"Stewed Grumpflicks!" Kimi squealed.

"Something I can actually attempt," he replied with a smirk. "Pasta…or cereal…or sandwiches." He ticked off the possibilities on his fingers. "Y'know, something of the like."

"Just make some burgers," Sara told him. "Veggie-burgers for us, please. Oh and make some fries to go with it."

"M'kay," he replied, walking towards the kitchen and, once there, pulling out the necessary ingredients and cooking utensils.

Twenty minutes later Kyle entered the living room, in black lacrosse shorts and a white wifebeater, his face glistening with sweat. "Hey there," he greeted breathlessly, pulling up his water bottle, putting it into a cavity in the refrigerator, and refilling his supply.

"Hey," they all replied mindlessly, too caught up in what they were doing.

"So what's on the menu for tonight?" Kyle asked as he took a swig of his water bottle and walked towards Danny.

"Hamburgers and fries…hope that's alright," he responded, putting the meat patties and the two veggie-patties on the pan. "We just unanimously agreed, so we figured you wouldn't mind."

"Nah, s'fine," he replied, his words slurring together slightly from his overexertion. "Just make sure you make me two. I could eat the entire cow right now." He patted his stomach, which promptly let out a loud groan.

"K," Danny replied with a chuckle as Kyle took his water bottle and plopped down on the other side of Kimi on the couch.

Kimi made a slight face. "Ew, you stink," she criticized, pinching her nose with her fingers for affect.

"You try training for two hours, I doubt you'll smell fresh as a rose," he retorted, taking another swig of his water bottle. "Plus, I smell fine. I wasn't training THAT hard."

Kimi rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she mumbled.

"I'm bored," Sara announced, once her sister had shut the spell book and set it on the coffee table. "Let's do something tonight!"

Kyle looked to the window, where torrents of rain were beating down upon their tower. "Whatever it is, it'll have to be here. We're not going out in that rain, unless you all want to catch colds."

"Thanks mom," Clara muttered incoherently, before obnoxiously rolling her eyes.

"I say we should play some games!" Kimi suggested enthusiastically, clapping her hands in joy. "I haven't played games since I was a little Greefnuk."

Everyone on the couch slowly turned to stare at Kimi. "Since you were a little what?" Kyle asked, voicing the question on everyone's minds.

"Er-that means child in Tamaranian," she replied, her face turning red. "My K'norfka Galfore taught me Tamaranian so I would never forget my heritage. Of course, I never would because it is my home planet, and I was born on Tamaran…well, anyways…" Kimi trailed off. "Go on."

"Anyways, I was thinking about Monopoly, or LIFE, or some other board games.." she trailed off thoughtfully. "We can have a game night!" Sara exclaimed.

"Sounds…cool," Clara finally said apprehensively. "I could think of worse things to do with my Saturday night."

"So, are we all in?" Sara asked joyously.

"It looks like it," Taku replied, crossing his feet on the table. Suddenly, a bubble of yellow-white light surrounded them and they dropped off of their own accord. In a paranoid manner, he looked about the room. "What the-?"

"Keep your feet off the table, I just washed it this morning," Sara snapped.

"Geez, touchy," Taku muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "Anyways, I guess we can play after din-" there was a streak of lightning in the sky followed soon by a clap of thunder. "-ner."

"Which will be done in a minute," Danny called. "Just got to finish the fries and then we can all eat."

As promised, a minute later, they were all called to eat. Sara and Clara took seats next to each other, with Taku on the side of Sara, and Kyle on the side of Clara. Kimi and Danny took seats on the other side of the table.

"Dig in," Danny announced.

"Hey Clara, wanna grab the orange juice?" Kyle asked. Clara murmured a spell and the refrigerator door swung open. Theorange juicebegan floating out, encased in black. "Gracias, amiga."

"You're welcome," she replied, taking a bite of her burger. Almost immediately thereafter, though, she spit it out. "Ew! This is meat!" she exclaimed, horrified that she could ever eat a poor cow.

"Oh God! Mine is a veggie burger!" Danny exclaimed in surprise. "Sorry," he told her sheepishly, trading burgers with her so she could eat the one he had prepared. Sara lifted the bun on her veggie burger to make sure it was just that, sighing in relief when she found she was not eating a cow.

Twenty minutes later, after the six teenagers were all very full, and after Kyle had left to take a quick shower, they retired to the couch. Everyone was waiting for him to come back so they could start the game, so until then they resorted to watching Saturday night cartoons..

There was light chatter for a few minutes. Clara was sitting at the end of the couch, contemplating the day. It, in fact, had been the day she almost lost her life. Before she knew it, she was caught in a flashback.

_flashback_

_Clara had excused herself from the Titans to take a short walk in Jump City. It was her new surrogate home, and she had barely heard of it before she was asked to join the Teen Titans. She was amazed at all the shops, boutiques, restaraunts and such. A great wind blew by, and grey clouds stormed overhead. Rain was coming, and soon._

_She crossed the street to take a right. The boulevard she was on would take her to the posh, upper-class downtown, filled with expensive shops, and preps in their Lacoste or Abercrombie and Fitch polos, driving their Mercedes talking on their cell phone/camera/computer/whatever._

_Eagerly, she looked into windows of various shops, seeing if she would find any vintage jewelry or dark clothing to add to her interesting-enough wardrobe. It was all amazing. She would definitely have to take walks more often._

_A young boy that had presumably lost his mother was sitting on the sidewalk, bawling. As suspected, people whizzed by on cell-phones or pre-occupied with some sort of technology, ignoring him. Clara's heart break in two at the sight, and she softly knelt down beside him. "Hey there," she whispered, ruffling the boy's hair. "Did you lose your mommy?"_

_The boy stopped crying, but continued to sniff. He let out a shaky, "Yes"._

_"I'm Clara," she told the boy. "What's your name?"_

_"Timmy," he replied hesitantly, looking Clara up and down. From the way she was dressed, she did not seem a friendly person, but Timmy certainly liked her._

_"Well, Timmy," she started in a soft voice, wishing not to frighten him. "What does your mommy look like, and I'll help you find her."_

_"She-she's blonde," he wailed. It was believable; he had tufts of blonde hair on his head, curling softly at the tips into his gorgeous doe-like blue eyes. "And she's got blue eyes. And she's really tall!" he whined, beginning to cry again._

_"Oh, Timmy, don't cry," she soothed, picking him up into her arms. He was only about four, and was very light for his age. "Where did you see your mommy last?"_

_"We were in the perfume store, and I wanted to go to the toy store and she said in a minute and I went out the door and walked towards the toy store, but I couldn't find my way back!" he wailed. "I promise if I find my mommy I'll never be a bad boy like that again!"_

_"Oh, it wasn't your fault," she assure him, beginning to travel along the cobblestone path towards where she was sure she saw a perfume boutique. "How old are you?" Clara asked, making small talk until she found the perfume store._

_"This many," he replied, pulling a hand from her neck to hold up four fingers. So she assumed correctly. "I really didn't mean to, I just saw a toy I wanted soo much!" he hid his face in her collarbone and began to whine again._

_"Timmy, we'll find your mommy. I promise. Even if it takes me forever," Clara replied with a friendly smile. "You can trust me. I'm a good person. Ever heard of the Teen Titans?"_

_"I love them!" Timmy replied excitedly. "That's the toy I wanted! I wanted the T-Ship. It makes really cool sounds and lights up. It's fan...fan...it's great!" he replied, apparently not yet able to pronounce fantastic._

_"Which one's your favorite?" Clara asked, watching the boy light up with glee._

_"I like Kyle. He's the leader and he's always so brave. And Taku is really funny!" he responded, smiling a front-toothless smile._

_"Do you know Clara?" Clara asked, bating a grin._

_"O' course!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands for affect. "She's so dark. She makes me think of Raven."_

_"I'll tell you a secret, Timmy, but you can't tell anyone," she told him. He nodded, awestruck. "I'm Clara!"_

_Before he could respond, they came upon the perfume store, and he got excited. "This is the place!" Clara quickly entered, and saw a tall blond woman at the counter, talking frantically to a clerk._

_"I've lost my little boy!" she exclaimed. "I've lost my little Timmy! He was right here and wandered away! You have to help me find him!"_

_"Ma'am!" Clara called, at the same time Timmy called for his mommy. "Ma'am!"_

_The woman turned and her doleful eyes turned bright and her frown into a smile. "Timmy!" she exclaimed, coming forward and taking him from Clara's arms, hugging him close to her bosom. "Oh Timmy, don't ever wander off again, y'hear?" The woman turned to Clara. "Thank you so much, young lady," she stated through tears. "You are forever in my debt. It's good to know some kids out there are still good."_

_"Clara! Can I tell her?" Timmy gushed excitedly._

_"Tell me what?" the woman asked. Clara silently nodded to Timmy._

_"She's Clara! She's a Teen Titan!" he gushed. The woman beamed._

_"Nice to meet you."_

_"It was nice to meet you too, and I was glad I could help, but I really must get back to the tower before it rains. I don't want to attract attention to myself by flying so I have a long walk ahead of me," she whispered so no one else would hear. But, apparently, a four year old could be louder than expected._

_"Clara? Clara's here?"_

_And before she knew it, she was mobbed by fanatics and reporters, flashing cameras and asking questions, as she walked into the street. She stared in awe at the people following her and began to run. She ran across a crosswalk just as it turned red, and fortunately the mob was forced to stop. Clara stopped to catch her breath, but the walk light soon turned green and she was off and running again._

_It was minutes before she successfully and skillfully evaded the crowd, hiding in an alleyway. She was so close to the Tower, and only needed to cross one more street before she could fly to the island. She would soon be safe at home._

_But what she didn't plan on, was a car just ahead running a red light, with no intention of stopping. As she stood still in the middle of the crosswalk, she tried to think of any spell, any ANYTHING that could save her at the moment, but time stopped. She flashed back to every moment in her life, and saw it reel before her eyes._

_"Magnaa...magnaa..." he spell failed as she lost her voice and she awaited the impact._

_Instead, it came from the side. She was pushed back onto the sidewalk, and on top of her was a rather cute boy of fifteen or sixteen, smiling worriedly down at her, "Are you ok?" he asked. "You almost got hit right there. Lucky thing I saw you."_

_"Yea.." she replied shakily. Clara threw her arm around him and thanked him appropriately. "I couldn't do anything. I'm so lucky you were there."_

_The boy stood and helped her up. He was tall, with cute dimples and brownish-black hair, and green-ish eyes. He was clothed in a black beanie with a silver star, a pair of baggy jeans, and a black tee shirt with a silver skull. "Well, I'm really glad I could help, but I've got to go. A storm is coming. You should get home."_

_"Can I see you again?" Clara asked, though she didn't even know his name. It was just a strong attraction she had from the minute he had pushed her out of the way._

_"When the time comes, you will," he replied mystically, before walking away, with one last dimpled smile._

_End of flashback_

Clara snapped backed to reality to see Kyle was back in the room. Three seconds after he arrived another bolt of lightning appeared, followed by a boisterous boom of thunder.

"So…" he started, jumping over the back of the couch and landing on the cushion. "What's up?" His hair was damp and dangling in his sunglass-covered eyes, and he easily shook it away with a jerk of his head.

"Well, I would have to say-" but Sara was cut off by the loudest boom of thunder yet, and then the darkening of the lights. Great, a power outage.

Then, there was a shrill, terrified scream.

"Titans, is everyone alright?" Kyle began in an almost hysterical voice. "Who screamed?"

"Sorry," Kimi's voice sounded as rustling came from her end of the couch and she whispered to Danny. "I have a serious fear of darkness." She fueled up on of her starbolts to reveal she had crawled in Danny's arms and Clara had grabbed onto Taku's arm. Once this was revealed in the light, though, she let go hastily.

"We can't let the back-up generators run for too long when they come on in about ten minutes. Who wants to go flip the circuit breakers" Kyle asked, sounding as if this were the most fun job anyone could ever have.

"Nose goes!" Kimi called, putting her finger to her nose.

Kyle and Danny both put their fingers to their noses, but the rest gave blank stares. "Just put your finger to your nose! Hurry!"

Clara did this slowly, as if her finger was about to detonate, and she was the last to do so. "Sorry, Clare, you gotta go flip the breakers. It's the ancient art of nose goes."

Clara sighed in defeat and sat from the couch. "Luminos Maximos," she murmured, a bright white light beginning to shine from her hand. "I'll remember this," she mumbled darkly, before beginning her trek from the room.

"Good luck, Clarebear," her sister stated, waving goodbye as if this were a long, grueling journey. "You know where the circuit breakers are, right?"

"Yea," she mumbled in response. "Be right back."

She entered the hall and felt there was sufficient light for her not to be wasting her power. She let her hand dim until it went dark. Faint outlines of doors and windows could be seen with her excellent vision.

"Well, this isn't the way I figured I'd be spending my Saturday," she muttered to herself, passing a hallway opening and an open door that led to an empty storage room.

Suddenly, she felt some force press on her side and push her into the open doorway. She screamed, the fact that she could perform magic leaving her mind. Her scream, though, was cut off when a hand was slapped over her mouth.

"Shh," a voice soothed softly, gently pushing her back so she was pressed against the wall. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The voice was older, not at all older than seventeen, and not any younger than fourteen. It was soft, and had a soothing baritone ring to it. And...she recognized it. "Who are you?" Clara demanded, not angrily, but more of curiosity. "What do you want with me?"

"I don't want anything from you. I just wanted to see you." Clara squinted and could see the dark outline of a manly face, with tufts of hair sticking out from what she assumed to be a beanie cap.

"Lumin-" but a hand came to slap over her mouth.

"Don't, please," he pleaded innocently. "I don't want you to see me. Not yet. I want to know if you'll accept me first."

"It would help if I knew who you were!" she retorted, starting to get slightly angry. "So…who are you! What do you want with me?"

"You're different," he whispered. "I don't know what it is about you, but I like it. You're mysterious. You're intriguing. I think you belong with me instead of these losers."

Clara gasped. You know, she could be really thick sometimes. "Black Baron?"

"The one and only," he responded slyly, his hands coming up to rest on her shoulders. "But I'm not going to hurt you."

"Why do you bother?" Clara snapped. "You know I'm not going to join you." It became clear to her this man would stop at nothing to have her join him. "Nothing could ever make me-"

But suddenly something had happened. He had brought his face forward and pressed his lips to hers. Clara's eyes bugged out of her sockets, before she succumbed to his overpowering charm and began kissing back. Her arms came up and hesitantly she laid her hands upon the milky-smooth skin of his face.

Her hands roamed to his hair, where she easily discarded of his hat and tossed it onto the floor, letting her run her fingers through the damp strands. This kiss felt familiar to her; it was as if she had been kissing this person everyday of her life.

"What were you saying?" he asked when they had pulled away for air several minutes later.

"I-I can't remember," she replied with a slight blush and small grin. "Why are you all wet?"

"You expected me to get here through the torrents of rain coming down outside and not be soaking wet?" he replied, and though she couldn't see it, he had an eyebrow raised.

"How sweet. You braved the worst weather conditions for little ol' me," Clara joked.

"Of course," he replied, softly and seriously, his hand resting upon her cheek. "I know this seems a little weird but…I feel like I've known you my whole life. You remind me of someone I once knew."

Clara sighed. She couldn't believe this was happening, as she came forward, rested her head in the crook of his neck, and encircled his waist with her arms. She was standing here, acting in such a manner with the criminal she had only known for a week. It was as if she was under some sort of love spell. Maybe just being alone for such a long time did that to her.

Clara, though, sucked up her romantic needs and stepped away, her hands dropping to her sides. "I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to make friends with me just so you can use me to get to the Titans," Clara started stolidly. "It won't work."

"Clara, you've got me wrong," he whispered. "I wouldn't do that. I'm really a good and honest guy…you know…once you ignore the whole 'I'm a big bad villain thing'."

Suddenly, the back-up generators kicked in. The only light that had been on in the time of the outage was the hallway light, and since the door was wide open, it came on. His face was only dimly lit, but she could see tufts of shaggy brunette-black hair, and dark jade eyes that looked almost onyx. His face was oval-shaped, with dimples as he smiled slightly, his eyes shining.

"Hi," he greeted awkwardly, disturbed by the silence that had come over them. "Well, uh, this is how I look…" he trailed off, averting his gaze.

"You! It was you who save me from the car today!" Clara gasped.

He blushed. "Yea," he replied sheepishly. "I couldn't let you die."

"Thank you," she whispered. There was a short silence. "Why are you evil?" Clara suddenly blurted out. "You seem like-well-, too much of a sweetheart to be evil like you are." She came forward and took his face in her hands. "Why do you do it?"

"Being good was never an option for me," he replied coldly, turning away and taking a few steps. His gloved fingers trailed on the top of an old, broken desk. "My life…everything…I was determined since almost the day I was born. I was one of the most successful students the HAEYP ever produced. If I ever turned away…well, they would come after me. Only God knows what would've happened to me."

"That's not it," Clara told him simply. "There's something you're not telling me. I can hear it in your voice."

He turned to her and smiled softly. "You're too smart for your own good," he told her, before heaving a sigh. "Maybe that's why I like you so much. You see-"

"CLARA!" A voice yelled. "CLARA, WHERE ARE YOU?"

A sharp intake of breath escaped Clara's lips. "It's not safe for me here. I have to go." He rushed forward and kissed her gently, his hands cradling her face. "Please, don't tell them…I just couldn't help myself. I had to see you. I hope to see you again."

"I-I can't," she whispered. "This relationship. It's forbidden. I-I couldn't do that to the team. I'm endangering them."

"Even if I said I loved you?"

Clara did not answer. She looked to the ground, before looking back up. "When will I see you again?" Clara asked, turning as he swept past her, his cape billowing. A wave of deja vu swept over her. He was in his full costume, except for his mask, which he effectively pulled from a compartment in his belt. In milliseconds he had deftly pulled it over his head.

"When the time is right, you'll know," he replied. "Goodbye for now." And then he added, "my black rose." He opened the window, the rain still pouring outside while a strike of lightning lit up the sky.

"Goodbye," she replied breathlessly. He looked back once more, before jumping from his crouched position and disappearing into the night sky. Clara gasped, stepping forward and almost slipping on his discarded hat. She deftly picked it up and examined it. It was a plain black hat with a silver star on the front.

As the voice that called her name got nearer, she pulled the hat on her head to seem inconspicuous, before slamming the window shut. Clara used her magic to create a wormhole to transport her from the room she was in to the control room.

Once she had flipped the breakers, she walked out and ran into Taku.

"I lost nose goes and had to come find you," Taku told her. "What took you so long?"

"Oh, I got lost. It was dark," she lied.

"Oh," he replied softly, as they began walking in silence back to the living room. "Hey, where did you get that hat?" he asked, pointing to her head.

"What are you talking about?" she responded nonchalantly. "I've been wearing this hat all night." It was slightly damp, most presumably from the rain, but Clara didn't care.

He wasn't particularly convinced. "Whatever."

**TT2**


	20. Attack

**A/N**: Wow. Yesterday I wrote chapter thirty-something before I had any of the other chapters done, just because the idea popped into my head. Wow. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter. Sorry I didn't get it up sooner, I had a power outage.

**Disclaimer**: I do NOT own Teen Titans, thank you very much.

**TT2**

**Monday September 14, 2019**

**IMPORTANT A/N**: (I had to put this A/N in the story to make sure EVERYONE reads it) I made slight changes to chapter 11, and you won't understand the story unless you go back and read it. Now on with the story.

Days had passed and it was now only a week and five days until Richard and Kori's wedding. Kori was ecstatic beyond belief. Don't get me wrong, Richard was too, but Kori was ecstatic to finally be able to plan her perfect wedding.

She was sitting at her secretary desk, devoid of work, looking at a magazine with possibilities for her bouquet in it. She looked up and saw a tall man, wearing a bowler and a long gray overcoat. He was carrying a small briefcase, which he promptly set down on the floor before her desk.

"May I help you?" Kori asked politely.

"I have an appointment to see Mr. Grayson," the man replied in a deep baritone voice. "For three. I am sorry I am a bit early."

"That is ok. You are-?" Kori began.

"Mr…Connors," the man replied hesitantly. "That's what the appointment should be under."

"And indeed it is. Safety precaution Mr. Connors. Any whack-job could just come in here and say they have an appointment," Kori joked, with an endearing chuckle. "I'll buzz him to tell him you're here."

"Ok," the man replied, tipping his hat.

Kori rang the buzzer that went to the intercom in his office. "Richard? Mr. Connors is here to see you," Kori told him sweetly.

"Really? He called twenty minutes ago saying he was going to be late…suppose he got his tire fixed faster than he thought. Send him in," Richard replied, and Kori could hear the shuffling of papers.

"Mr. Connors, you may go in now."

The man smiled, picked up his briefcase, and pushed open the door. Once he had entered Richard's office, to see Richard coming forward to greet him, he dropped the briefcase and swung violently at him.

"What the fuck?" Richard asked as he dropped to the ground to avoid getting hit. "Connors, are you on crack?"

"Hello Richard." The man removed his bowler and grinned maliciously, dropping it onto his briefcase. The man standing before him was a tall blonde, with shaggy hair and bits of black, his face a bit gaunt, but his features handsome. So Richard wasn't looking at Thomas Connors. He rolled backwards and stood deftly, aiming a roundhouse towards the man's face. He bent back and avoided it, but once he bent back up, Richard punched him in the face. He grunted and reset his jaw, before scrambling up and punching Richard in the gut. Richard barely winced, but was blown back when the imposter struck again and hit him in the eye.

"Aw what the-" Richard got up, clutching his eye and swinging at the man, effectively hitting him upside the head. The man, from his position on the floor, swiped at Richard's feet and brought him to the ground. In the process, he had hit his head on a wooden coffee table. Richard moaned in pain, but got up anyways, his head ringing unbearably.

The man came forward and tried to punch him again, but Richard formed an "X" with his arms and blocked it. He kept trying to strie, but Richard backed up and continued to deflect him each time. He used his desk to launch himself over and use his call-box. "Kori? Kori?"

The man swung his fist and effectively broke it. Richard's head snapped up and the man's fist was coming for his head, but he ducked. He jumped onto his desk and squatted to low kick, which struck the man in the chest. He was blown back, but didn't fall. Richard leapt forward and jumped on the man, wrestling him to the ground and punching him unmercifully.

The man spat in his face, and disgustedly, Richard wiped it away. In the time he was occupied with doing this, the man kicked him back. Richard stood, beginning to feel just a bit out of sorts. The man, dazed a little, did a jump kick but Richard grabbed his foot while he was midair and brought him to the ground. Richard tried to step on his chest, but he rolled and sprung up.

The man punched Richard, and there was a loud crack. His nose was broken, and now bleeding profusely, and he dropped back, leaning against a coffee table for only a moment. Richard staggered up.

"Just won't die, will ya?" the man asked, jump-kicking towards his gut (but hitting his ribs, hearing an audibly sickening crack) and then punching his jaw. This time, Richard was down for the count.

The man he had been fighting immediately ran to Richard's desk and began shuffling through papers, until he found what he was looking for in the bottom drawer. It was normally locked, but was unlocked since Richard had been previously using it.

"Nice," the man breathed, looking at what he had uncovered, before running back to his briefcase, locking it up tight, and putting his bowler back on.

Just outside, the real Mr. Connors showed up for his appointment. Kori stated that was impossible, since Mr. Connors had already shown up, but he produced an ID and showed he was, in fact, the real Mr. Connors.

"Richard! Richard!" her voice came through the intercom. "He's an impostor!"

But the man began towards the door, just as Richard regained his strength, and began crawling towards him. He managed to get up in the process, speeding up to catch the man, but the impostor had crashed through the office's large double doors.

"KORI!" Richard gasped when they were out in the main room. "Catch that man!"

Kori stood up abruptly and ran around her desk. She immediately took off, flying at top speed towards this mysterious man. He sped up, but Kori immediately let free four of her starbolts and two of them successfully burned him. They slowed him down, but he did not stop. Instead, he jumped over a banister and landed on the next floor down, in the middle of an open lobby. Kori warmed up her eyebeams and shot many times, but he dodged them each time.

It was a while (and a few damages) later until Kori had chased the man out of the building. She had not successfully caught him.

Kori flew up to where she had last seen her husband and, now walking instead of flying, pushed through a crowd of people to get to him. "Richard!" she cried when she saw him, lying propped up on the floor, with a hand over his ribs and blood over his face.

"Kor," he returned, using his free hand to hold her neck and kiss her when she arrived next to him.

"Oh dear X'hal, what has that horrible man done to you?" she asked frantically. "My poor little-" she cut herself off. Kori removed his hand from his ribs and unbuttoned his shirt, inspecting the area. "Give him room!" she ordered to the people around her. "Somebody, contact an ambulance!"

"I'm on it!" someone shouted from the end of the crowd as the rest of them backed up.

"You have a broken rib or two," Kori informed him.

"Since when are you the little doctor?" he asked.

"Ever since I read 'Medic Basics for Dummies'," she replied. Richard knew for a fact that had been a book in their library when they had been Titans. "He beat you up very badly."

"Trying to make me sound weak?" he joked.

"No, just trying to make you sound lucky. You could have been injured much more extensively than you were," she responded.

"I'll be fine. I promise. I've been in worse situations…can't think of any now, but-" Kori chuckled slightly, through the tears that were beginning to pool in her emerald eyes. "Don't cry, I'll be-" he hissed in pain "-fine."

Kori smiled and kissed him on the mouth, until the paramedics had come to take him away. Kori rode with him in the ambulance all the way to the hospital, where she was then forced to wait in the waiting room while he was patched up.

Kori, in the meantime, took out her cellular phone and dialed in Kimi's number. "Kreo," Kimi greeted in her native tongue, knowing it was her mother. She often talked in Tamaranian with her mother.

"Kimiand'r, Gaktu bor neaa leto su ogna," her mother started softly. "Tas su pakand'r."

"Daddy?" Kimi asked, her voice quivering.

"Kim-bay, what's wrong?" Kori heard in the background, the voice of Danny. "Kimi? Kimi, don't cry."

"Tas no sekruu. Refrakkt deo bokta," her mother told her.

"Mommy…is he ok?" Kimi asked. "Who attacked him? How serious is 'not serious'?" she began spouting off questions, becoming hysterical.

"He will be fine," her mother replied as their conversation turned back to English. "I am in the emergency room right now, and I was not sure if you would like to come wait with me until he is released…so you may see him."

"I will be there soon," Kimi replied. "I love you, mommy."

"And I love you, too, daughter," Kori replied, as the other line clicked. Kori flipped her phone closed and then inserted it into her pocket. It was about twenty-five minutes until she was approached.

"Kori Anders?" A doctor asked, peering up from a paper over a pair of thick-rimmed spectacles.

"That is me," Kori replied, eagerly jumping up and coming towards the doctor. "How is Richard? Will he be the OK?"

"Why, yes, he'll be just fine. It's just two broken ribs, a broken nose, and a minor sprain in his wrist. He'll be fine by the wedding day," the doctor replied with a friendly smile, pointing to the engagement ring on her ring finger.

Kori blushed. "Thank you, sir. May I go see him?"

"Of course. Follow me." Kori did as she was told and followed the doctor in through a pair of swinging doors. After a few minutes of walking down a bright white hallway, he had led her into a small area with only one bed. On that bed was her fiancée. He was topless, his back against the headrest, with a bandage around his ribs and a bandage on his wrist, as well as a bandage on his nose.

"Richard!" Kori squealed, running forward and throwing her arms around him.

"Glad to see you too," he replied as she pulled away and incessantly kissed his face. "I told you I'd be just fine. There was no need to worry. I always bounce back." The doctor inconspicuously evaded the room.

"And yet I worry as if I were your mother," she replied with a chuckle, cradling his face gently and kissing his forehead. "You scare me. You have ever since you were a teenager."

"You don't need to be scared for me," he told her. "Like I said, I always bounce back."

Kori smiled gently and once more wrapped him in a gentle hug. "Well, you sure scared me today. I could barely catch the man because I was thinking about the condition I had seen you in. I love you." Kori pulled away and looked deep into his eyes.

"I love you-"

But Richard was cut off by an impossibly girlish squeal. In seconds, his vision was clouded with onyx. "Daddy!" the mass of black squealed, pulling back and looking at him. "Oh I was so worried! I thought when mom said you were in the hospital you were going to die or something! I got so hysterical, it took Danny twenty minutes to calm me down! We were sent after that man, but they only told us there had been an attack…they didn't tell us it was you!"

"I'm fine, Kimi. I'm just trying to explain that to your mom. Tamaranians may be tough, but Richard Grayson is tough too!" he exclaimed, sitting up but wincing visibly.

"Speaking of…" Kimi trailed off and pulled up her shirt a little to reveal the long, raw scar that Baron had left yesterday. "Look at what that-" she was about to swear, but for her father's sake, refrained "-jerk, Baron, did to me!"

Kori gasped. "My poor baby!"

"That looks like it hurt," Richard commented, looking at her with worry-filled eyes. "Do you need medical attention for that?"

"Naw," she replied. "I can barely feel it. With skin like leather and bones like titanium, it barely hurt." There was a hint of smugness in her voice. "Tamaranians are tough."

"Half-Tamaranians are just as tough as full-Tamaranians, too," Kori added. "Women and children are actually the toughest of them all. That's why half the warriors on Tamaran are women. They're the toughest of all Tamaranians."

Richard chuckled. "Well, I'm just glad that doesn't hurt you. I couldn't forgive myself if I let my daughter join the Teen Titans and then get seriously hurt. I know we went through it as teens but that's different!"

Kimi raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. "Oh yeah? How so?"

"Well-uh-" he cut himself off and began to think. "Well, maybe it's not different, but you get my point!"

"Actually, dad? No, I don't," she replied, questioning him with her eyes. "What is your point? That because I am younger than you were when YOU were a Titan?"

Richard sighed. This was going to take a while.

**TT2**

It was about an hour later when Richard was released that they went back to Wayne Enterprises, only to collect Richard and Kori's things (though it took a while with workers stopping to give their condolences), before they started homeward. Kimi had bade farewell (after a long and compassionate goodbye) and started to fly off towards home.

Richard was on the phone with Garfield, who was currently at work, when they arrived home. Kori turned on his web-cast and turned it so she could hear but it would not interrupt their conversation.

"Can you believe it? Who would want to just senselessly come and beat me, with hundreds of people there, just to steal a piece of information on the Stone project?" Richard asked him, resting on the couch. Kori came and took a seat next to him, interlacing their fingers. "Yea, of course you can tell Rae…ok, you get back to work…Kori sends her love…bye."

Almost instantly, as the song on the web-cast came off, Gar's voice came on. "And we have breaking news. It appears there was a robbery at Wayne Enterprises today. Richard Grayson, 29, was attacked while in his office today, and a piece of one of his latest projects was stolen. Grayson, a good friend of mine, got off with only two broken ribs, a broken nose,and a sprained wrist. The police are still looking for the attacker," he announced. "On a happier note, Jump City kids are going to be finishing their first day of school this time in exactly one week, so to honor those kids who'll have to endure prison for next nine months, we'll be playing teenaged indie-rock and alternative non-stop from twelve to five, commercial-free. Rock on, kiddies. You've got a good mix of music coming at you so don't touch that dial…if there were a dial…well you get my point. This Gar, out."

A new song began to play, and Kori began to hum along with it. "Did you call Victor?" she asked, looking up at him as she rested her hand on his chest. "He is sure to want to know information on your project together was stolen."

"Oh, right," Richard stated, apparently just reminded about that little piece of information. "And we're going to have to fill the Titans in on what we know."

"Right," Kori trailed off thoughtfully. Then, realization dawned upon her pretty face. "Richard…Richard! Do you think this has something to do with the break in at STAR labs? And I bet it has something to do with this 'Baron' character's break-in at Wayne Enterprises a few days ago!"

"It very well could," he replied. "In fact, I bet it did have something related to everything else."

Richard reached for his cell phone and began dialing in Victor's cell-phone number. "Vic?" he asked when he heard someone pick up.

"No, it's Jenna," the feminine voice on the other line replied. "He's in the bathroom, hold on a second."

**TT2**

"Victor!" Jenna called as she pressed the cell phone to her shoulder to reduce the sound on the other line. "Vic, baby, it's Richard!"

"Coming!" he replied. He came jogging down her hallway a few seconds later, entering the kitchen, and gratefully taking the small silver machine from her. "Hello?"

"Vic, look, we need to talk," Richard told him. "You have gotta get to my house ASAP, something happened that might be a problem."

"What happened? Sounds serious," Vic replied.

"I'd rather not say until I see you in person, but there's been another break-in," Richard told him seriously. "I was attacked."

"Aw man," Vic breathed. "That's horrible. I'm with Jenna right now, but I'm sure-" and while he said this next sentence, he was looking at her remorsefully "-she'll let me make up our dinner date and swing by."

"Go," she responded hoarsely, a small smile working its way across her face. "I'm sure whatever's that 'horrible' is more important than a silly dinner date."

"Thanks, Jen," he replied softly, resting a palm upon her cheek. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes, ok? Yea, I'll see you then…Bye." Vic flipped his phone closed and put it in his pocket.

"I guess you have to go?" she joked with a small smirk. "Call me, and I'll decide whether I'll let you make up our date or not."

"Aww, I'm sure you will. You're just a big sweetie," he replied.

Her smile fell. "Yea," she replied, though not very convincingly. "Look, call me after you're done, ok? I want to hang out tonight, if that's possible. There's something I need to tell you." He looked at her questioningly. "I'll tell you tonight, ok?"

He nodded in agreement. "I love you," he whispered, wrapping her in a hug. For a short second he pulled back and kissed her forehead tenderly. "And I'll see you tonight."

"I love you too," she mumbled, hugging him tightly. "I really do. Don't forget that."

He pulled back and looked at her funny, but she dismissed this look with a wave of her hand. "I just wanted you to know. Now get along. I don't want the Titans complaining about me holding you up."

"Don't worry, they won't complain if I have anything to do with it," he replied, his arms lingering around her waist. "They'll just have to wait a few more minutes while I say goodbye to my girlfriend. Isn't that right, Miss Jinks?"

Jenna smiled. "Of course." She kissed him on the lips, savoring his taste, before interlacing their fingers. "Call me, ok?"

"Ok," he replied, letting her fingers slip from his. "Love ya."

"Right back at ya, tin head," she joked softly, watching him turn around the corner. It was moments before she heard the soft click of her apartment door.

It was only a minute or two later that her cell-phone began to vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and flipped it open, before pressing the small device to her ear. "Jake?"

"The one and only," the voice replied smugly.

"I-I can't do this," Jenna stuttered softly. "You know how you were talking about going against the HIVE and all? I think we should. I can't do this to Vic. I think I really love him."

"Jen, snap out of it. I'll get Matty over there if you're having second thoughts. We need to go through with this," her surrogate son replied. "Remember what Master always says."

"Right," Jenna replied awkwardly. "Well…I'm going through with the second half of Phase E tonight. I'll send you confirmation at midnight. What's your plan?"

"Tomorrow night I have to complete my objective for preposition eleven," the boy on the other end replied. "Look, just pull yourself together before tonight and we'll be fine, ok? It's not that hard if I can go through with it too. Jake, out."

"Jenna, out."

Jenna collapsed into her kitchen chair and let her head fall into her arms, before beginning to weep endlessly.

**TT2**

It had been a week. A lousy week. A lousy yet somehow quite fulfilling week.

Garfield had done everything in his power to show Raven he loved her before her was unexpectedly called to battle. The monday morning of the confrontation, he cooked her breakfast in bed. That night he took her to diner. The next day he took off work to go to work with her, claiming it was 'take your fiancee to work' day. The night after, Wednesday, he cooked a romantic dinner and they had a moonlit picnic in the park, staying there well past moonlight. On Thursday they attended a club, where they met up with Vic and Jenna (by accident). On Friday they went to see a horror movie of Raven's choice, a remake of an advertised "true story" called Amityville Horror.

On Saturday and Sunday, they stayed in. I think you can figure out what they did those nights.

Raven slept silently beside Garfield on Monday night, sleeping lightly, her boddy pressed up against his side and one hand on his chest. He laid awake, staring, unblinking, at the ceiling. Suddenly, as he stroked her hair, Raven jerked away from her previously peaceful slumber.

"Oh Gar," she breathed softly. "I had the worst dream. I woke up, and you weren't here. I tried to find you, but you were gone," she whispered, snuggling into his warmth in the crook of his neck. "Don't ever leave me, ok?"

"I won't," he replied, continuing to stroke her hair, though he knew it was a lie.

"Good," she sighed contentedly, cuddling back into his warmth and closing her eyes as if she was about to fall asleep again. "I love you," she whispered, barely audible. Her arm came up and rested over his chest.

"I love you too." He pressed his lips to her forehead and she smiled gratefully into his armpit.

He sighed, and before long, Raven was fast asleep. He felt lucky, for the time being, that he had not been called upon yet. They promised it would most likely be within the week (they probably needed to get prepared for their mission), but at this point it seemed it would be about two weeks before he was called upon. "Hey Rae," he started softly, knowing she couldn't hear him, and grateful for that fact. "Ever since I was eighteen, you've been the most important woman in the world to me. I was such an immature young kid, and I don't blame you for hating me."

He flashbacked to the moment they started dating, then to the moment they both realized they were in love, then to every date they had ever gone on. He flashed back to every important moment in their relationship. It had all been such a perfect relationship up until now. "Remember our second date?" he asked, smirking softly as he reminisced. "Getting attacked by reporters wasn't exactly the date I wanted, but I still got to spend it with you."

"You're the most important thing in the world to me. More important than the doom patrol. But maybe making you happy involves going off to fight. I don't want you to live in a world with danger. I want you to be happy and safe," he whispered into her ear, closing his eyes and snuggling towards her. "Maybe that means I have to fight, even if I'd be away from you. Maybe I have to fight," he repeated in a soft voice, feeling consciousness slip from his grasp.

Within moments, he was fast asleep.

**TT2**


	21. Midnight Jailroom Escapades

**A/N**: I didn't re-read this chapter, so please excuse minor errors. The next chapter will be up within the next two days, since we have a long weekend. Love to my peeps, and I hope y'all enjoy it. Reviews are the best presents an author can get!

**Dislclaimer**: If Teen Titans were mine, Robin would make out with Starfire when he saw her again in "Titans Together" instead of just saying "I could use a hand". Assholes. Really, just make their reunion better. Please. For me? I'll give you a cookie.

Away form my ranting we go...

**TT2 **

**Tuesday September 15, 2019**

Four days passed. The few days in which we had not seen the Titans had been rather busy for them. There were two attacks in one day, one of robbers and one of a new-comer villain named "It". She was able to contort her body in amazing ways, change her appearance, make herself grow, and more. She had proved quite a challenge, but in the end it was Kimi who had knocked her out. After that day, there was an attack a day, all of them committed by unimportant robbers. It had been busy, but the Titans had seen it as an opportunity to improve their skills.

Sara was very suspicious of her counterpart for the next couple of days. Sara stated Clara had been glowing ever since the night of the power outage, smiling much more and more willing to laugh at something Taku said. Scary.

"I'm scared of Clara," Kimi stated Tuesday while training. "There's definitely something up."

"I think she and Taku finally got it on," Kyle stated.

"You are such a weird-o," Sara stated, rolling her eyes. "But she's only acted like this once before, and that was-well-" in all truth, it had been when she was with Sean "-when she was in love."

"Clara was in love?" the three teammates present, Kimi, Danny, and Kyle, gasped.

"Yea…" Sara trailed off, looking about to see if anyone was eavesdropping (like Clara), before pulling them all from what they had been doing and gathering them in a huddle. "Don't tell her I told you this, but in our freshman year of high school, she was in love with her best friend, Sean. They had been going out for almost two years when he got into a car accident and died."

"That's horrible!" Kimi cried softly, inconspicuously grabbing her own boyfriend's hand. "I'd die if that ever happened to Danny."

"Well, Clara did, in a way. To say she was upset was an understatement. She was a wreck. Eventually, she got over it, but it still hurts. And that time, when she was in love, was the only time I've ever seen her as happy as she is now," Sara whispered. "It's…scary."

"Do you think that might have something to do with the glittering black rose Taku saw in her room?" Kimi asked inquisitively.

"Maybe…" Sara trailed off. "But, if I am correct, and she is in love, who could it be?"

"Is there some way you could read her mind and hear what she is thinking?" Danny asked Sara.

Sara thought for a moment. "I am able to do that, but not to Clara. I can't read her mind, because it would cancel out both our powers and I'd be blocked from her mind and temporarily power-zapped."

"Then, we'll have to do this my way," Kyle told them. "With good old-fashioned spying."

"How do you suggest we get along with that?" Kimi asked.

"Sara," Kyle started, pointing to her. "You have to get into her room somehow when she's not in there. Go now if you have to, since she's occupied with training. Look for anything that might give us a hint as to why she's acting so weird."

"Got it," Sara stated. "I'm going now. Call my communicator if she excuses herself from training." Kyle nodded and watched as she quickly walked away.

"Kimi, I want you to talk to her…ask her about life, how things are going," he told Kimi. "Tell her you've noticed she's been smiling a lot. Ask why." Kimi nodded in understanding. "Make up an excuse to go train near her and start up a conversation, ok?"

"Yes sir!" Kimi replied, saluting, and then breaking out into a grin before marching away.

"Danny!" Kyle demanded, taking his attention away from Kimi. Danny raised his eyebrows in questioning. "I know you and Clara don't have such a strong bond as Kimi and Sara have with her, but see if you can change that. I want you to take note of changes in her behavior, and then report back to me, ok?"

"That I can do," he replied. "Do you want me to take actual notes, sir?" he asked in a military-style voice.

"Call me sir ever again and I will smack you upside the head," Kyle replied. "And no, making mental notes will suffice."

"Yes, dude," he replied, in the same military-style voice.

"Get back to training, soldier!" Kyle ordered, before laughing. Danny, too, started laughing, and before long they had gotten back training.

**TT2**

It was midnight when the Titans got the call. Black Baron had broken into a technologic laboratory only two minutes from the tower.

They were on the road by three after the hour, and Hawk was eager to kick Baron's butt this time. Taku took the time to realize Clara seemed as if she were having an internal battle.

"Clare," he started, stretching his limbs to keep up with his teammates. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Nothing important," she replied. "I'm just thinking."

They came to a halt in the parking lot of what was a large two-story building. It wasn't large in the sense that it was tall, only that it covered almost a quarter of a square mile. "Titans, one of you hang back and guard the door!" Sara ordered. "Just in case we see a few of Baron's friends tonight."

Taku hung back, not willing to pull down the rest of the team if he were seriously hurt. He nodded to the rest of his team, signaling to them he would be fine, and then ran inside.

"First floor, room B108," Hawk read from his communicator. "C'mon."

He ran forward, taking a sharp turn in a hallway that was clearly labeled "B Hallway". He ran down, reading labels on the doors and found B108. "Titans, GO!" Hawk ordered, watching his teammates run past him and into the room. It was only dimly lit.

"Shit!" a voice cursed in the darkness, and emerged carrying a small burlap sack. "You Titans just won't give up, will you?" Baron spat vehemently.

"Neither will you, so it works out evenly," Hawk retorted. "Moonfire, Clara, attack maneuver six!" Moonfire flew forward, her starbolts fueled and her eyes glowing midnight blue.

"Dekna gokta bu ogna!" she screamed in Tamaranian, to effectively distract him, before shooting him with four of her starbolts. He was caught off guard and they hit him square in the chest.

He yelled out in pain and fell backwards. Clara bit her lip, but either way came forward and let a spell slip off her lips to body bind him. He rolled over to avoid the spurt of dark magic and jumped to his feet.

"You'll blow us all to high heaven!" he screamed. "The chemicals in here are dangerous!" He pulled a grappling hook from his belt and aimed it towards the high ceiling. He used it to swing himself over the five Titans present and begin running out the door.

Danny was the first to react, followed by Kyle. Danny began creating fire with his mind, bringing up walls of fire to try and trap him, but Baron would run right through them and would not have a scratch on him. His suit was most likely impervious to fire.

"Hawk!" Danny called.

"Way ahead of you!" he continued running and sprinted ahead of Danny, with Sara next to him. Hawk pulled a disk-bomb from his belt and threw it to Baron's feet. Baron, though, jumped and did a roll before it could explode with him just above it.

Baron stopped short, his slashes extended from the back of his hand, and swiped at Hawk. It scratched him right in the chest, ripping open his suit and starting to bleed profusely.

"Kyle!" Sara screamed, running back to help him where he had staggering against a wall with a hand on his wound.

"No!" he gasped. "Keep going! I'll be fine!"

Sara bit her lip but chose to believe him, continuing to run with Danny, Clara, and Kimi.

"One down, five to go," Baron quipped. "Hey, where's rubber-boy?"

But his question was not answered. Instead, he ran through a door and up a flight of stairs. Sara spat one of her spells and a large white shield flew up in front of him. He stopped short and looked around, before beginning to use the stair railing to climb around the shield.

"Crap, this guy is good!" Danny yelled, running past the deteriorating shield as Sara pulled it down.

"Not for long!" Sara responded, flying up the stairs and landing just in front of the door to block his way. She pulled up two shields crossing to form an 'X' in front of her as he tried to harm her with the backs of his hands.

"Get out of my way!" he grunted, pushing her back so she slammed into the door.

"No!" Sara retorted defiantly. "Creon Kar'n Letrop!"

Black Baron was immediately bound at the feet by a thick rope, but before Sara could react he had pulled out a silver knife and cut through the rope with one easy slash. He pushed past her and opened up the door, running out into the chilly midnight air.

Danny had disappeared as Clara, Sara, and Moonfire came forward on the roof and cornered him. He stopped and turned a little, so he was facing Moonfire. Her arms were extended and she had two potentially dangerous starbolts fueled up. "One wrong move and you'll wish you were never born."

But he didn't listen and pulled out a silver sphere, about an inch big. He threw the sphere at Sara, and she immediately began having spasms and fell to the ground. He struck his hand out and had aimed lower, gashing Moonfire's stomach. If she were human, she might've passed out, but being Tamaranian helped her to endure the pain. Her people are most resilient. He turned to face Clara, but his hand stopped midway while reaching for his belt. He looked at her for a minute, before taking off in the other direction. Clara ran after him, but that wasn't necessary for Danny had appeared on the top of the building, his body covered in rock, so he looked like a poorly created version of the Thing.

He struck, punching his fists towards the ground and missing Baron by inches. Baron, though, fell to the ground after stumbling a bit. Moonfire, after she had regained herself, was able to stand just above him and begin shooting her starbolts at him until he was knocked unconscious.

"I'm going to go find Kyle!" Sara called, seeing they had taken out Baron. "Clara, wrap him up."

Clara performed a body-binding spell on Baron so he wouldn't be able to move anything but his eyes and his mouth.

Danny walked over to Kimi, and conjured some water to press to her wound. The water immediately washed away the blood and began healing the gash. "Whoa," she breathed. Danny smiled up at her, before he began to walk towards Baron's body. "That's a new trick."

"C'mon," Danny started with a toothy smile. "Let's get him out to Hawk's motorcycle. We'll need to take him back to the tower for questioning."

Sara flew as fast as she could down the stairwell and towards the spot where she had last seen Kyle. He was still slumped against the wall, trying to regain enough strength to stand up, and he was still bleeding though the speed had reduced.

"Kyle!" Sara gasped, flying up to him and kneeling next to his body, propped up against the wall. "You said you'd fine! You're not fine! Look at you! Oh I swear the nerve of some boys lying so blatantly to a girl like that you're such a-"

But he cut her off, completely ignoring her rant. "What happened?" he asked, wincing slightly as Sara removed his hand and looked at the blood staining his suit.

"We beat him. We've got him. We're taking him back to the tower to interrogate him. Don't worry, it's ok," she told him, summoning up her power to try and heal him. "That's got to hurt."

"More than you can imagine," he groaned in reply. Sara took his hand and squeezed it lightly.

"This is going to hurt a little," she warned him. "Deep wounds always hurt when you try to heal them with magic. Just squeeze my hand if you're in pain. Martanna Kiannar."

A soft glow encased his chest and the skin began to repair itself. Kyle closed his eyes and squeezed her hand, only lightly, though, for he did not want to seem weak. In fact, Sara was probably squeezing his hand more than he was squeezing hers.

"Are you ok?" she asked, running a finger along the scar. "Does it hurt?"

"Only when you touch it," he replied truthfully.

"Oh," she breathed, blushing. Swiftly, she retracted her hand. "Sorry."

"It's ok. Thanks," he told her. He sat up and groaned a little bit more. Sara raised her hand and began stringing bits of his russet hair through her fingers. He sighed in contentment and closed his eyes. "It's great to have two little doctors on the team."

"And it's great to have a few patients," she replied with a genuine smile.

"Maybe I'll have to get hurt a little more often so you have a patient to practice on," he suggested, smirking.

"That would be nice," she responded, smiling back, and resting her hand on the back of his neck. Instead of making another move, like she knew she wanted to, Sara looked away. This was hardly the time to 'bond' with a teammate. "Come on, we've got to go help the others."

Sara missed the discouraged look on his face.She stood and brushed herself off, before lending a hand to Kyle to help him up. Though she had already helped him up, they didn't release each other's hands. "Let's go," he started in a serious tone, beginning towards the roof, tugging on her hand.

"Help us!" Kimi yelled from the end of the hallway where they were trying to carry Baron down the hallway.

"Clare, why didn't you just levitate him?" Sara asked, looking to her sister with an eyebrow cocked.

Kimi and Danny dropped Baron's body and turned to stare at Clara, half-angry, half-surprised. "You can levitate bodies!" they both asked angrily.

"It was more fun watching you guys struggle," she replied innocently.

"Nice," Kyle stated, watching her smile innocently. She could be a real witch when she wanted to.

"Talk about _nice_," Danny stated, with a smirk, nodded towards their joined hands. The pair blushed and immediately let go.

"C'mon, let's blow this pop stand…Taku's still out there waiting," Clara reminded them, her eyes glowing black, as Baron's body was surrounded by a black aura.

Sara helped Kyle walk, for he was a little dizzy, Clara with Baron behind them, as Kimi and Danny brought up the rear.

"Hey you guys!" Taku started happily as they walked out into the crisp night air. "How'd you guys do?"

"We finally got him," Kyle announced with a smile.

The six teens began back towards their home, an air of confidence surrounding them. They finally brought down their biggest enemy. He was strapped on the back of Hawk's motorcycle, really the only way to transport him to the tower so they could interrogate him.

"What the-" he started as he began to wake up when Clara was floating him towards their cell room. "Where am I? What happened?"

"You're in Titans Tower," Clara responded. The other Titans had gone ahead to set up the cell he was to be put in.

"And you've been beaten by the Teen Titans," Sara spat. "Hurts your pride, doesn't it? Feels good to me." She smiled triumphantly.

"Shut up, you," Baron growled under his breath, glaring daggers at her. "Why can't I move?" he snarled at Sara, but Clara stepped forward, stopping at his side, to answer his question.

"Body binding spell," she replied simply, but secretly looked at him with doleful eyes, as if saying sorry. "You'll only be able to move your eyes and your mouth for the next five minutes."

Black Baron sighed in aggravation.

The two twins arrived in the room where his cell would be situated, and saw a cell with closely set bars made up of titanium and a small top, only about eight feet tall. Clara levitated Baron's body into the cell and let Kyle close the door and lock it shut. Sara took off the body-binding spell and a sigh escaped her lips.

"Nothing more satisfying than a successful day's work," Sara stated, leaning against Kyle as she watched Baron sit on the floor of the cell and snarl.

"You can say that again," Kyle stated. "So, what she would we do with him?"

"Are you kidding me? I plan on getting a good night's sleep before we get to the interrogation," Taku stated, stifling a large yawn. "I don't know about y'all, but I think this should wait until morning."

"Taku's right," Kyle announced. We'll keep him here for the night and question him tomorrow. Titans, get some sleep. Meet in here tomorrow at ten."

Clara snorted. "Like I'll be up by then."

"Yea, what she said," Baron mumbled.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Then set your alarm. I don't care, we're all going to be here at ten."

"I'm not," Baron mumbled, but no one caught it.

"Let's all get a good night's sleep," Kyle told them. "Titans, move out."

**TT2**

Clara had gone to her room and changed for bed; she was in a pair of Eagle High School Soccer sweatpants, a black tank top with a silver skull on the chest, and the beanie she had practically stolen from Baron. She walked to her window and stood there for a few minutes, watching the full moon shine in the night sky.

An idea then struck her, and she began out her door and towards Kyle's room. Once in front of the door that bore the same name, she knocked softly.

"Mmm…yea?" he trailed off sleepily as he came to the door, rubbing his eyes. Apparently, he had just laid down in bed when Clara had knocked.

"You haven't initiated lockdown yet, right?" Clara asked. "I want to get something to eat."

"Oh no, thanks for reminding me," he replied. "Yea, feel free to go get something to eat, but lockdown the tower when you're done, ok?"

Clara nodded in understanding and bade him goodnight, before starting up towards the kitchen. After she had grabbed a piece of fruit, a bag of Doritos, and a bottle of water, she began down in the direction of her room.

Instead of going to the seventh floor, though, she stopped at the eighth floor and began wandering the hallway. She came upon a door clearly labeled, and took a deep breath before silently entering.

"Who's there?" a voice snapped.

Clara turned on the light by the side of the door, and the only light in the room came on with a distinct buzz. "It's me," she whispered softly. Clara sauntered forward and sat besides the cell, dropping the food on the ground. "I thought you might be hungry." He came to the edge of the cell where he was sitting, mask and all.

"Thanks," he replied, pulling off his mask to reveal his tired features. Clara passed the food through the bars and let him eagerly begin wolfing it down.

"Hungry much?" she asked. He looked up and nodded animatedly. "I can tell…you look as if you've never eaten a day in your life."

He mustered up a joking dirty look. "I like food, thank you very much. If I want to be in top physical condition, I have to love food. Some shit about it being good for a growing body," he replied, opening up the bag of chips and finishing it in fifteen seconds flat. He opened up the water bottle and chugged the entire thing.

"Sorry I couldn't bring you a feast, but I'm sure the Titans would've freaked to see half their refrigerator missing," she whispered, resting her temple against the cold metal of the cell's bar.

"It's ok," he responded in a soft voice, finishing the last of the apple and looking up. His shining eyes met hers, a small smile crossing his face. "This will do fine for now."

They sat in silence for a few moments, before Clara sighed softly. "And you know I can't let you out of here," she told him, looking at him with an apology in her eyes.

"I didn't expect you to. You have duties to your team. I understand that," he responded. "I'll just have to figure out how to break out by myself."

Clara smiled in appreciation. "So…tell me…what were you about to say last time before we were interrupted?" she asked inquisitively.

"It's a long story…" he began. "I doubt you'll want to hear it, but if you do, you might want to-oh-well, you're already sitting."

Clara chuckled, reaching through the bars to interlace their fingers. "It's ok. You can tell me. I've been through it all…I understand."

He took a deep breath. "My parents were the most famed superheroes in the city I lived in when I was three years old. Of course, that all changed when the HIVE killed them and my brother and sister to get to me. They wanted me among their ranks, for what purpose I don't know. But somehow the HIVE fooled millions of people into thinking all of my family died. They had to pretend I was dead to prevent questions. They began training me the day I hit four years, but I never went to the HAEYP academy. I went to a normal school, and after school I would be taught things necessary to become a villain. By the time I was fourteen they felt my training was complete, and they killed me."

Clara furrowed her brow and stared at him inquisitively. "What do you mean? How is that possible? They…killed you?"

He looked away and drew circles on his cell's floor with his finger. "They killed the person I was to give me a new identity. They had to kill me to avoid anyone I had known in my previous life from recognizing me somehow. So they killed me and gave me a new identity."

"That's horrible," Clara breathed, her hand coming up to rest on his cheek. He leaned into her touch, his eyes closing, as he smiled softly.

"It was horrible. I could barely deal with it all. I tried to rise against them, but the HIVE's become too powerful. I can't stop them. No one can," he replied softly. His hand came up to rest over hers and he looked up. "I love you so much," he whispered softly.

"Hm?" Clara asked, missing what he had said just barely.

"Oh, nothing," he replied hastily.

There was another short silence. "You look so familiar to me," Clara murmured softly. "I don't know why, but I feel like I've seen you before. In a dream, maybe."

"Maybe," he replied.

"Tell me, what's your name?" Clara asked. "I've known you for a week and I don't even know your real name. You can't expect me to go about blatantly calling you Baron."

"Well, I think Baron sounds very sexy," he replied, wiggling his eyebrows. "Either way, my name's Jake; Jake Jinks."

**TT2**


	22. They're Watching Us

**A/N**: Just to let you guys know, I nearly cried writing this chapter. It was definitely sad. Or at least I hope y'all think so. It may be sad, but things will turn up soon for them. I promise, things will get better. Oh, and just to let you know, you really have to use your mind with this chapter if you want to predict everything. I will explain everything hopefully within the next few adult chapters, but pay attention and you'll understand.

**Disclaimer**: If the Teen Titans were mine, don't you think that everything I wrote would really happen int he show? Durrr...

**TT2**

**Tuesday September 15, 2019**

The next day Kori and Richard took off work, at Bruce's permission. He felt Richard had a good excuse, having been accosted at work the day prior. Galfore had, yet again, gone back to Tamaran to help out the ever-incapable-of-doing-anything Tamaranians that he put in his place. He was assumed to be gone for a few days, and then back permanently until the wedding.

Richard was laying on the couch, lazily flipping through channels, only in his sleep wear which consisted of gray sweatpants. The bandage was still around his ribs, and the bandage was still around his wrist. His nose, though, was void of a bandage.

"Kor?" he asked, hearing her bob around in the kitchen.

"Yes, Richard? Would you like something?" she called back.

"I'd like you here, sitting next to me!" Moments later she entered with a smile on her face, bearing two mugs filled with steaming tea. He thanks her graciously as she sat next to his abdomen and turned towards his body.

"Green tea will make you feel better," she informed him. "Speaking of which, how are you feeling?"

"I've felt worse," he told her, rubbing his ribs softly. "Not that bad."

"Poor baby," she replied in her mothering voice, stringing bits of his long hair through her fingers. "I am so sorry. I wish I could have done something to help avoid this terrible incident."

"It wasn't your fault, you know that, right?" he asked, putting down the controller to rest his free hand over hers. "I should've won that fight. I doubt that man had numerous years of training with Bruce Wayne."

"It does not matter. You are safe. That is the important thing."

The doorbell rang incessantly throughout the house. "Let's go get that." They set down their mugs on the end table and without much hesitation they both stood up, Richard hissing slightly, but otherwise fine.

Kori put an arm around his waist, partly to help him, partly to show compassion. He grinned in thanks, his blue eyes sparkling down at her as they made their way to the entryway.

A great curiosity swept over Kori as she walked towards the door. "Who are we expecting?" she asked of her fiancee. He shrugged and she dropped the arm around his waist and reached for the doorknob.

Standing in the doorway was a man of about thirty. He was tall, no doubt, with incredible emerald eyes and long, shaggy crimson hair that fell adorably into his eyes. He was clothed in a tight purple shirt and a pair of baggy jeans, with a pair of purple buckle-up boots on his feet.

"AH!" Kori screamed, running forward and jumping into the man's arms, her legs locked around his waist. After a few seconds, she pulled away, kissed both of his cheeks, then hugged his head to her bosom. "Ryan!"

Richard's eyes bugged out of his head and steam nearly came from his ears. "Kori...who is this man and why are you kissing him?" He asked.

They pulled away and she jumped down from the embrace, grinning happily and standing next to him. He had an arm around her waist, his hand on her hip, grinning like a maniac. "Richard, this is my brother, Ryand'r of Tamaran."

He came forward and took Richard by surprise by hugging him tight. It hurt only slightly because of his injuries, but he said nothing. "Hello. It's nice to meet you," Richard started as he pulled away.

"And it's great to meet the future husband of my little sister," he replied happily, looking to Kori. "I did not know you were on Earth. I was told you had broken out and expected you had gone to Nebula 747, Planet of the Peaceful."

"What am I able to say?" she asked. "Earth has fine qualities. It is my new home, now." There was a pause where Kori's smile grew larger. "Oh brother, I have not seen you in many days of a Tamaranian Glocktoar. Where have you been?"

"I have been residing on Earth for the past Earth year. Before that, I had been living on Marcus Prime. I came to Earth, and am now boarding with an Earthling named Trey Parker. We are the 'best friends'," he told her. "I had gone back to Tamaran for a visit and Galfore told me you were on Earth. I came to see you immediately. I missed you very much."

"I have missed you too, brother," she replied. "Let us retire to the living room. I shall make you tea. It is delectable. Maybe a bottle of mustard. It, too, is delectable."

"Mustard!" he exclaimed. "I love the mustard. Please, if you have a bottle..." he trailed off with a blush. "Not to be trouble." Richard cocked an eyebrow at Kori, but she dismissed it with a wave of her hand. A love of mustard must've been a family trait.

"No trouble for my brethren," she chuckled, taking his hand, then taking Richard's and bringing them into the kitchen. "Oh, Ryand'r, you have missed much."

They retired to the living room, as said they would, each with a cup in their hands. Kori and Richard's cups were of the tea they had been drinking, and Ryan's cup was of mustard. "What have I missed, young sister?" he asked. "You are surely living a nice life in this house of yours."

"We are," she replied softly, smiling just a bit. "But there is so much more than that. I had been a super-hero when I was fourteen until I was seventeen," she informed him.

He gasped. "Get out of the house!" he replied in awe. "You were? You used your powers to fight crime?"

"I did," she continued. "And then, when I was seventeen I became pregnant, and five months later gave birth to my daughter Moonfire."

"Five months?" Richard asked.

"There is a shorter gestation period for Tamaranians than for humans," she told him. "Anyways, I had run away from my super-hero team the Teen Titans to raise Moonfire. Thirteen years later, when she was thirteen years, we met up with my old team in a bank, though I was unconscious. They took me back to our old home and patched me up, and since then Richard and I fell in love all over again. We are getting married in a week and four days, now."

"Oh, and where is this young Trikkon of mine?" he asked, Trikkon meaning niece or nephew in Tamaranian.

"She has taken on our place," Kori responded proudly. "She is now a Titan, and lives in Titans' Tower."

"Oh, I wish to meet her!"

Richard smiled and took a cell phone from his pocket, handing it to Kori. "I'll call her and invite her right over. Oh she will be so surprised to see her Uncle. I have always talked of you, but she never got to meet you." Kori dialed in the number of her cell-phone and waited assiduously as it rang.

"Mommy?" Kimi asked when she picked up. "What's up?"

"Are you free at the moment?" Kori asked. "I wish to introduce you to someone if you have the time to come over here."

"Um...ok..." Kimi trailed off, sounding rather perplexed. "I'll be there in thirty minutes. I have to wash up first."

"Ok. I shall see you then," her mother replied. "I love you." She ended the call and set the phone on the coffee table. "She will be on her way soon," Kori announced. "I cannot wait for her to meet you." Kori lunged forward and caught her brother in another hug. "Oh, it is great to see you, Ryand'r."

"And it is great to see you, too, young sister of mine."

**TT2**

Garfield woke up late that morning. He had been up late, talking with Raven and just basking in her company. Many times she had asked him what was wrong and why this week had felt so different with him, but he said nothing was any different than it had been before. He assured her with his trademark lopsided grin.

He was startled when he realized Raven was not sleeping peacefully beside him, but realized she had gone into work early, for an early morning shift. He sighed in relief when realizing he had not lost her, and rolled over. It was two in the afternoon.

He had wa-ay overslept.

Garfield regretfully clambered from his warm, comfortable bed and trudged towards the bathroom to take a shower.

After he had completed the task at hand, he wrapped a fuzzy green towel loosely around his waist and began performing his morning hygienical tasks. He brushed his teeth, dried his hair (which included turning into a sheepdog, running outside, and shaking himself dry), cleaned out his rather large, pointy ears, and other such things.

"Gar, today will NOT be the day you get called off to fight," he told the mirror confidently, only hoping it was true. He didn't want to leave so suddenly. Gar was about to change into his work clothes, for his shift was in one hour, before the doorbell began to ring incessantly in his ears. And with his advanced hearing, it was LOUD.

"COMING!" he yelled to the door, jogging in only a towel. He slipped on his holo-ring, for precaution, and opened up the door.

The Doom Patrol was standing on his stoop.

"Garfield, it's time," Mento announced. "Gather your things, we're leaving."

Gar was about to argue, when he saw the looks of forlornness on their faces. This was no easier for them than it was for him. They understood what the pain of leaving home was like. He couldn't be selfish, just because he thought he was the only one with a love to take care of.

"Just let me pack my things."

"We parked our ship in the alley out back. Come find us when you're ready," Mento told him. "You're doing the right thing, Beast Boy. I assure you, you won't be sorry. Raven will be proud."

"Yea..." he trailed off sadly. The group walked away and he shut the door after them. He would wait for Raven to come home (which would be very soon) and say goodbye to her in person. In the meantime, he would pack.

Gar made his way towards the bedroom, once there pulling out a duffel and stuffing various items of clothing inside. Of course, he would not forget his original Doom Patrol Uniform, which had changed a bit after he hit eighteen with the Teen Titans. Gar went to the bathroom and pulled out a toothbrush, toothpaste, and other necessary toiletries.

He began singing a song he and his band (which included three guys he worked with) wrote.

"_When you're on the phone, __you're not alone. __I'll keep you company, __too-night.__ Let's go out, __just one more night, __let's keep this fight, __our little secret.__ A single day has come and passed, __nothing great ever la-asts, __can you dance with me one more time, __I say a-one more time tonight_," he sang softly.

"_My hands on your waist, __Your arms on my neck, __Exploring your taste, __I've become a wreck. __I lo-ove you, __and I hope, __you love me too. __I lo-ove you, __and I can only hope, __you love me too_,"he finished with a small shudder and an involuntary sob. It just began to hit him, the consequences of his actions. What would become of Raven after he left?

Gar finished the last of his packing and zipped up the duffle bag. He remembered something and jogged to the closet, pulling out a shoe-box and his guitar, in a case. Gar set his guitar on the bed, and unzipped the duffel. Opening the shoebox very carefully, as if it would explode, he peered inside. It was a shoebox he had kept of all the important things that reminded him of Raven. He would want it to remember her by while he was away.

He pulled out a small velvet box and quickly set it on the dresser, with a note he had already written a few days prior. Then, he set the box in his duffel and zipped it up. He made sure he remembered everything, including his laptop, his cell-phone, his wallet, and his mp3 player (in case he had free time) before sitting gently on the bed.

And now, he waits.

Raven was currently driving home from her early morning workshift, tapping the steering wheel with uncharacteristic enthusiasm. Gar was at home, presumably getting ready for work. Raven took a sharp turn into the parking lot of their quaint and rather expensive condominium complex. She stepped out of her car and locked it up, depositing the keys into her black purse before starting towards their condominium.

There was a slight skip in her step. She couldn't wait to tell Gar the big news she had been waiting to tell him for two days now.

Forgetting her excitement for a mere moment, she began contemplating why Garfield had been acting strange as of late. He had assured her that nothing was wrong, but she didn't believe it. She wanted to believe him, but his demeanor had changed so abruptly that she couldn't begin to believe him.

Was he cheating on her?

No, he was too innocent and he loved her way too much to do something that unfaithful. So, then, what could possibly be putting him on edge lately?

Raven sighed to herself. She would never understand the mechanisms of the male mind, especially Gar. He wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but he had become more responsible and a little more serious since his teenage years, which was why she loved him. He knew when to joke, and when to be serious.

And that was what scared her. She loved Beast Boy, AKA 'Mr-I-am-going-to-go-accidentally-pull-a-prank-on-Starfire-now-and-get-called-a-Clorbag-Varblernelk-or-something-like-that-and-laugh-about-it-afterwards, and she had ever since he was a teenager.

She constantly asked herself how she could be in love with someone so carefree and childlike, but she already knew the answer. She simply loved him; unconditionally and without end. Raven loved Beast Boy.

In her musings, she had not realized she had already passed their front door. She chided herself for being so distracted, and turned around to go back. Within moments she had walked through the front door, thrown her bag on the couch, and began towards the bedroom.

"Gar?" she called. "Gar, are you still home?"

"I'm in the bedroom!" he called back in a hoarse voice.

Something sounded wrong. Raven was worried now. "Gar, what's wrong? Gar?"

She entered the bedroom to see him sitting next to a duffle-bag and his guitar in its case. He looked as if he had been crying. Raven's face fell a nd she came forward. Gar sat up and sped up his pace towards her, hugging her tight when he reached her.

"Rae, I'm leaving." His voice was soft and serious, marred by furious sobbing and raucous sniffs. "I don't want to, but I have to. I have to protect you. I'm so sorry. Don't ever forget I love you, babe."

Gar pulled back to look her in the eyes. Her violets looked up at him remorsefully. He swiftly bent down and kissed her on the lips, a bittersweet kiss that would soon be one of their last for a good long time.

"Gar.." she began softly when he pulled away. "What's going on? Why are you leaving? Why do you have to leave me?" She now began crying, sobs choked in her throat, but she wouldn't let them pass. One of them had to be strong.

"The Doom Patrol has summoned me...The Brotherhood of Evil is back. They're attacking again. They're trying to take over the world once more. We need to kill them, once and for all," he explained. He tugged at her neck and kissed her forehead tenderly. "I'm sorry."

"But, Gar, you could never kill anyone. I know you. You would be of no use," she whispered, not meaning anything offensive.

"I'd kill anyone for you, Rae. This is the only reason I'm going. I want to keep you safe, in a world free from the Brotherhood. I care about you more than you'll ever believe, Rae. Please, just trust me. I'll be back sooner than you know," he murmured.

"Gar, no. I can't le you do this. This is the Brotherhood fo Evil. We thought we defeated them, but apparently they got back on their feet! Who knows what else they're capable of? I can't let you go, Gar," she pleaded. "Please, don't."

"Raven!" he snapped. "I have to do this! Please understand that!"

"No..." she trailed off pleadingly. "Please, don't!"

"Raven," he said in a deadly warning voice. "Please don't make this any harder than this already is." He snatched up his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and then grabbed his guitar case.

He walked out of the room and to the door. With his hand on the knob, he looked back at her, her hands clasped up in front of her in one last desperate plea. "Please?"

"I'm sorry," he whispered, reaching forward to pull her neck down into one last fiery and yet compassionate kiss. "Always remember that I love you. With all my heart. I promise I won't fall for any other girls while I'm gone. You're the only one that will be in my heart while I'm away."

She smiled gratefully.

"Tell the others I will miss them terribly," he murmured in her ear, kissing her forehead, before pulling away with one last regretful glance back.

"I love you," she whispered hoarsely.

He opened up the door and took one last regretful look back. "I love you too, Rae. So much it hurts. But this is something I have to do. I'll be back before you realize I'm even gone. I promise."

Raven came forward just as he closed the door, tears welling in his eyes. She reached the door just as it made a soft click, and violently threw her back against it. Hot tears of anger were flowing freely down her face, and soon violent sobs began to wrack her body. She wrapped her arms around herself, already beginning to feel lonely.

"By the way..." she whispered to the air around her, her hand traveling downwards and resting on her abdomen. "We're having a baby."

**TT**

"Jenna?" Vic asked over the phone. She replied by stating his name. "Hey there. I know we said we'd get together last night, but I kind of took a lot of time at Richard's house. How do you feel about going to Carl Rizzoto's tonight? You said you wanted to talk."

"Yea. And...well...I know this may sound weird, but reserve a booth. I want to be able to sit close to you, m'kay?" she asked over the phone. There was a bit of clamoring and he assumed she was at work.

"Ok. I'll reserve it for six tonight, so be ready by five-thirty and I'll pick you up at your house," he informed her. "Sound ok?"

"Sounds just perfect. Like I said, we need to talk, and that'll be just the place," she told him. "Then, let's go back to your place afterwards. I feel like watching the stars tonight."

"That sounds romantic," he murmured.

"That's was what I was aiming for," she replied. "I'll see you tonight, I have to get back to work. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye," he ended the conversation by flipping his cell phone shut.

A few hours later, Vic was tugging at his blazer. Carl Rizzoto's was a semi-formal place, so he was forced to wear a button-up and a blazer over that. He did NOT like formal clothing, but knew he would do anything for Jenna.

He sighed, knowing it would never get any better, snatched up his necessities, and left the room. Within minutes he was on the roads of Jump City, on his way to Jenna's house. Once there, he locked his car, even though he was just going inside to her apartment.

"Jenna," he called angelically as he knocked on her door. There was a stumbling, a little rustling, and a few profanities from inside before she asked him to come, but not to come into her room.

Victor did as he was told and stood in the entryway, looking about. A mirror hung over a table that held a bowl of keys and a vase with flowers he had given her, and he peered into it to make sure he looked fine.

And he felt he looked presentable enough. It's not like she cared what he looked like. "You look fine," he reassured himself. It was a few moments before he actually began to believe himself.

Why was he so nervous, anyways? Just because she said they needed to talk, he felt he needed to look perfect? It's not like he expected her to break up with him tonight. Things had been going so well.

He began to worry, but didn't let it faze him. That couldn't possibly be the reason she wanted to talk to him, right? Oh God, maybe it was.

"I'm almost ready!" she called. "I want to look just perfect for you!"

And this statement gave him confidence once more. Why would she want to look perfect for him if she were going to be breaking up with him tonight? He let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding and began checking his reflection in the mirror again.

A few minutes later, Jenna came out of her room, holding her hands out, waiting for his approval on her appearance. Well, if that is what she wanted, that's what she got.

She looked absolutely stunning. She was dressed in the trademark little red dress that all woman had in the back of their closet. It was short, ruffled at the end, and on her feet were a pair of high-heeled sandals. Her hair was curled, up in fancy hairdo with tendrils framing her face. Light brushes of make-up accentuated her already beautiful features.

"You look a-mazing," he told her, taking her hand and twirling her around to get the entire view. "I can't believe you went to all this trouble for me."

"Well, I figured I would look nice for you tonight," she told him. "Come on, let's get going."

Victor led her to the car and held open the door for her as she slid in, crossing her legs. He got in on the driver's side, smiling softly at her, and patting her hand. He started the car, wordlessly, and began towards Carl Rizzoto's. It was a soundless drive, but they didn't need words. The silence spoke for itself.

He parked the car and walked around to take Jenna's waist. He locked his car, before depositing the keys within his pocket. "I have tonight all planned out. Tonight is going to be the most romantic night of your life. You can count on that."

She smiled up at him and leaned her head against his shoulder, slipping the hand that was closest to his body in his back pocket. "I wouldn't doubt that."

The couple entered and Vic requested the table he had reserved. Quickly they were seated in the booth Vic requested, and given menus to order. Jenna cuddled into his arm as they both shared a menu, contemplating what they would order.

"I think the Steak sounds good," Vic announced. "What do you feel like?"

"The Chicken Parmigiana sounds good to me," she told him. "My mom used to make the best Chicken Parmigiana when I was a little girl. It was absolutely scrumptious, and I owuld never pass up a chance to have some."

Vic chuckled. "Sounds good."

They made light chatter for a few minutes, and Matty came towards them with a pad in hand. He was dressed in a black Carl Rizzoto's shirt, and had on a forced smile. "Trust me," he said to Vic. "They force me to smile here. What will the Mr. And Ms. Be having tonight?"

"I will have my favorite, Matty," Jenna told him. He smiled and wrote something down on his pad. "And Vic will be having the steak." Matty nodded in compliance and dropped the pad into his apron.

"Great choices. Your food shall be ready soon," he told them. Before he turned away, as Vic was looking at Jenna, he winked. Her smile faltered, but she continued to smile and winked back.

Jenna curled into the arm Vic had wrapped around her shoulders and rested her head in the crook of his neck. Matty walked by and cocked his head at her. She pretended she wasn't enjoying what she was doing. When he was occupied with taking orders from another table, Jenna leaned up so her lips were grazing his ear.

Vic smiled to himself. He could predict she was about to whisper something sweet or romantic into his ear, but what he heard was far from expected.

"They're watching us."

**TT**


	23. Impromptu MakeOuts

**A/N**: I have to say writing this chapter made up for everything I wrote in the past chapter. I swear. I laughed so hard I nearly snarfed my Gatorade. I hope y'all like it too. Oh, and to clear things up, if the Titans seema little too mature in their actions for their age group, I am only writing the story by how I grew up. I am their age, and my generation is facing MUCH worse things. I am trying to kep this the low-side of "T", you know.

**Disclaimer**: The Teen Titans are NOT mine.

**TT2**

**Wednesday September 16, 2019**

The next morning brought an eventful day. Clara had retired to her room the previous night around two in the morning, after a long and almost painful goodbye to Jake. There was a close call in the hallway, as Kimi wandered to the kitchen for an early morning glass of water. Thank God, though, she was so tired she didn't see Clara hiding in the shadows on her way back from talking to Jake.

"CLARA!" Taku hollered as he pounded on her door the next day. "WAKE YOUR LAZY ASS UP BEFORE I COME IN THERE AND FORCE IT UP!"

It was twelve and Baron's interrogation was scheduled for ten. They held it off because all of them had slept in (except Kyle, but he was always up at five, training, anyways). All of the Titans, though, had been up by eleven. Clara was the only one still asleep. They were wondering that if she had gone to bed at the same time as all of them, as they were none the wiser to the fact that she hadn't, then why was she still sleeping?

"Clara!" he shouted, banging on her door. "Please get up! Kyle's gonna kick my butt if I don't get you up in time."

Taku sighed and entered the access code to get into her room. As he entered, he noticed everything seemed the same as it had been the other times he had seen her room, with the exception of the glittering black rose and the hat hanging off of the knob on her vanity. He still wondered where she had gotten those.

"Clare? C'mon, Clara, wake up," he mumbled, nudging her softly. She was curled up within the folds of her black silk sheets, with the large black down comforter draped over her lower half.

"Jake...Jake..." she mumbled in her sleep, rolling over so she was facing Taku. She licked her lips and smacked them a few times. "A few more minutes."

Within seconds, she was snoring lightly again. "I don't get paid enough for this," he mumbled jokingly, though no one could hear. "Clara...please wake up," he cooed, shoving her a bit harder.

"What?" she snapped. "What do you want?"

"Time to get up. We need to interview Baron now," he told her. "C'mon, get dressed and ready and I'll make sure you make it down there without passing out."

Clara moaned, before picking up a pillow and shoving it over her head. "No! Turn off the light, get out of my room, and let me sleep!" she cried.

"No! Kyle wants you down in the investigation room or he's gonna kill me! Get up and get dressed!" he told her, pulling on her arm, but lightly so he wouldn't hurt her.

Clara groaned, but did nothing.

Taku sighed. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. You know I hate to violate a lady's privacy..." he trailed off.

"That never stopped you from violating MY privacy, eh?" she quipped into her pillow so it was muffled slightly.

But Taku came forward and pulled off her comforter and her sheets, revealing her in her pajamas, and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. "You forced me to do this so don't say you don't like it. Tough luck, sister. Deal with it," he replied, walking out her open door and down the hallway towards the investigation room, which was on the same floor.

"Put me down or I will most certainly tear out your brain stem, skip rope with it, and then paint it black to use as a bow in my hair," she threatened. "And I promise that is one thing I am very capable of."

"It's your fault for not getting up, you lazy girl," he replied, substituting 'girl' with a rather vulgar word. "So you brought this upon yourself. Tough."

"LET ME DOWN!" Clara yelled with a force not expected of a frail girl her size, but certainly expected of a girl with her attitude. "If you don't, I swear I will-"

"We're here," he announced, walking into the room full of the other Titans and setting her down on the ground. Baron was in his cell, as he had been the night before.

"Great to know you two are trying to get it on with each other," Baron sneered. "But did anyone here really need to see that?"

"Oh shut up. Just because you're sitting in a cell right now waiting to go to jail is no reason to be bitter," Taku retorted, coming forward to stare him down as he sat on the floor of his cell.

"Go shove a gym sock up your-"

"The language!" Sara exclaimed in horror, beginning to cover her ears. "For my ears' sake, lighten up."

"Oh, how about you go-"

"Baron!" Clara barked. "You heard my sister. Lighten up on your language, you lowly piece of filth." He looked taken aback for a moment but they shared a small look that clearly said she had not meant anything she had just stated. "That's what I thought."

"Nice, Clare," Sara replied. "Shut him up."

Baron crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall of the cell. "So, what? You want to question me a little? Go ahead; I won't spill anything."

"We don't expect you to," Sara told him. "We have magic on our side. One taste of this..." she pulled a vial of a yellowy-brown liquid from her pocket. "And you'll tell us everything we need to know."

Sara tossed the bottle to Clara, who deftly caught it in her right hand. "Give it to him, Clare," she ordered, taking a seat next to Kyle as her sister approached the potentially dangerous criminal.

"Yea, Clare," he quipped sardonically, putting up a great front. "Give it to me. I promise I won't bite."

"Oh shut up, you!" Kimi ordered quickly, her eyes beginning to glow midnight blue. "You've caused enough mischief, give us a break, will you?"

If they could see his eyes, they would've seen an exaggerated eye-roll. Instead, all they heard or saw from him was a loud sigh. Clara reached through the bar and held the back of his neck, and used the other hand to pop the cap off the vial. He did not struggle in the least; he seemed calm as he sat there and let her slip the liquid down his throat.

It happened in a millisecond. After she was finished, she breathed a sigh of relief. There seemed to have been no complications in her sister's seemingly meaningless order. Instead, Baron had other plans. As her hand fell from his neck, his hand snaked through the bar and grabbed the back of hers, before he pulled up the front of his mask to reveal his lips. Within milliseconds she was pulled back down so her lips crashed onto his.

"Oh what the-!" Taku cut himself off and came forward, but Baron had pushed her away, onto the floor, before Taku could do anything. "You sick-o!" he exclaimed, kneeling next to her on the floor. "Don't you dare touch her!"

"Because you don't have the balls to?" he replied smugly, wiping his lips before replacing his mask.

"I swear I have half a mind to beat you upside your-" Taku was standing up and threatening Baron with his clenched fist, before Kimi darted forward to hold him back. He struggled, but she was just too strong.

"I knew you weren't too bright...only half a mind, eh?" he quipped.

"You-"

"Taku!" Clara shrieked. "Bickering won't get us anywhere. Just drop it, ok," she finished softly, laying a hand on his shoulder. Kimi hesitantly let go, as he looked down to her hand.

"Whatever," he replied indifferently, plopping down in a nearby seat and crossing his arms. He glared hatefully at Baron, who, under his mask, only smirked. 'I hate you' Taku mouthed.

"If we may continue!" Clara pressed on impatiently. "I-" Clara hiccuped, but thought nothing of it before continuing. "I sleep with my fuzzy Wawa bear that I've had since I was two," she stated. Almost immediately thereafter, she gasped and slapped her hands to her mouth.

"Your fuzzy Wawa bear?" Taku asked, a grin forming on his features.

"Holy-" Clara mumbled. "Some of the truth potion got into my system when that-that scum!- kissed me!" she exclaimed. "Since it's not the ordered amount, I'm just going to keep randomly spitting out-" she hiccuped "-I try on my sister's clothes when she's out to see what I would look like as a prep."

"It was YOU who got the black eyeliner stain on my favorite pink polo!" Sara shrieked. "I blamed Mike for that!"

"Never did see Clara as the one to wear pink polos," Danny chuckled.

Clara slapped her hands over her mouth again. "It's all his-" she hiccuped and for a few moments she turned red as she tried to keep in the next random tidbit that was about to come out. She failed, as she finally burst out, "I enjoyed that kiss that Baron gave me!"

"Oh-"

"My-"

"X'hal!"

She slapped her hands to her mouth once more. "I go'a go," she mumbled from behind her hands, slowly backing out of the room. When she hit the door, she turned and ran from the room.

"Well, that was interesting," Kimi voiced the single thought that was on each and every one of their minds.

**TT2**

Later that night, Clara was still locked in her room. She didn't even come out for lunch or dinner, but Sara expected she teleported herself to the kitchen when no one was in there. Sara couldn't blame the girl; she was probably embarassed more than she had ever been in her life.

She had dyed her hair again, but only so it was still black, and the very front, shorter pieces were hot pink. She was clothed in a black skirt with overlapping pink and black fishnets to match her hair, with a pink band shirt and various pink and black accessories.

Sara and Kimi had cooked up a plan together. They invited a few girls over and had rearranged the living room so the couch was parted on either side of the room, with sleeping bags littering the floor.

They were going to have a sleepover!

Clara was perched upon her bed, a spell book open in front of her, as she practiced a few spells. She had nothing else to do to kill time, and she wasn't ready to face her teammates just yet.

There was a light rapping on her window, which she figured to be the light rain predicted for tonight. She continued her spell-work. "Mat'r l'ckk fui napael," she whispered softly, a spell that should've turned a nearby object (in this case her spell book) into a dog that she would have full control of.

It didn't work, and the persistent rapping at her window was becoming quite a bother. She gritted her teeth and tried to concentrate, but instead, her eyes snapped open and she glared hatefully at her window.

There was no rain.

She deftly slipped off of her King-sized bed, and ambled towards the window. Once there, her fingers rested on the clasp and snapped it open, allowing her to push the window up. The night was as dry as the Sahara.

"Psst," a voice whispered softly to her, and she surely felt she was going mad. "Pst, Clara!"

A black shadow traveled in front of her eyes, and she stepped back just before Black Baron swept in through her window and landed in front of her. "You dyed your hair," he noticed.

"Hey yourself," she greeted softly, with a small smile, before remembering. "YOU BROKE OUT?"

He came forward and clapped his hand over her mouth, effectively shutting her up. "Do you want someone to hear you?" he asked sharply, stepping back and releasing her.

Clara blushed a soft hue of pink. "Sorry," she mumbled. "So, how did you break out?" she asked inquisitively.

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out," he replied saucily, removing his mask and stuffing it into is belt. His black hair, dark eyes, and dimpled cheeks were revealed. "Nice show today. Now all your teammates know you have a thing for me."

"Well, liking someone and thinking a kiss they gave you was incredibly wonderful are two completely different things," she told him. "It just so happens I'm stuck under both categories." Jake smiled and came forward, cupping her face and kissing her gently.

"Look, there's a reason I came here," he told her softly, taking a seat on her bed and patting the spot next to him. She hesitantly took the seat and faced him, letting him clasp her hand in both of his. "I-" he took a breath "-I want to see you, I really do, but I can't. My mom-er, my surrogate mom-she's getting suspicious. If I keep sneaking out like this she'll be onto me, and she'll tell the HIVE. I don't even want to think about what they'd do to me," he lied

Clara looked down at their hands, then looked back up, a soft smile on her face. "It's ok, really. I don't mind if I can't see you for a while. I'd rather you be alive."

He smiled in response, coming forward to give her a tender kiss, but it was interrupted with a knock on her door. "Oh crap!" she whispered softly, grabbing his hand and pulling him up. "Hide in here." She pushed him into her closet and closed it on his face, straightening herself up real quick.

"Clara!" he hissed, but she ignored him and ambled to her door to open it.

"Hey Sara, hey Kimi," she greeted energetically (energetically for herself, at least). "What 's up?"

"C'mon, Clare, we've got a surprise!" Sara squealed excitedly, grabbing her sister's hand and tugging on it. "Come up to the living room."

"Tell me what it is before I walk to my doom," she droned. "What's in the living room?"

"Ugh, fine," Kimi sighed in exasperation. "We set up a little sleep-over," she explained. "We invited over a few girls so we can take over the living room tonight, kick the boys out, and have a girls night in."

Clara debated within her mind for a moment, knowing socializing wasn't quite her thing, and realizing Jake was still in her closet. "I'll be up in twenty, ok? Just let me change into my pajamas."

"Yay!" Sara squealed, coming forward to hug her sister tightly. "We'll be waiting. And don't tell the boys, they're trying to figure out what the heck we're doing in the living room, and we're gonna torture them by not telling them anything."

"Ok," Clara responded with a small smile. Unfortunately for her, Jake took that precise moment to stumble and fall, causing a racket within her closet. "I was trying to conjure a puppy, and I only got it halfway right. I hid it so you wouldn't have to see it. She's pretty gruesome," Clara lied quickly.

Sara and Kimi looked grossed out. "Ok..." they both trailed off. "See you in twenty."

Clara let her door snap shut and leaned against it with a sigh. She listened to her sister and Kimi walk away. "You can come out now.," she said only loud enough for him to hear. It took a few moments for him to stumble out, rubbing his head.

"Ow," he mumbled. Clara smiled softly, stepping forward. She swatted away his hand and pulled his head down so she could lay a kiss on the offending spot.

"I have to go. They're forcing me into some sleepover thing. I love my sister, so I have to do it for her sake. Sorry," she told him softly, pulling him into a hug.

"Don't be." He laid a kiss on the crown of her head. "I'll see you soon." He pulled back and kissed her on the lips, before walking to the window, pulling out his mask, and slipping it over his features.

"You promise?" Clara asked.

He smiled. "I promise." And he was gone.

Clara quickly got into pajamas, a pair of black sweatpants and a dark purple wife-beater. She grabbed a pillow and began her trek up to the living room. The gothic girl passed Taku's room, and could hear raucous laughter emitting from it. Apparently, the boys were having a boy's-night-in of their own.

"Hey there," Clara greeted when she reached the living room. "TARA!" she squealed (and this was an incredible feat; Clara had never in her life squealed before) excitedly.

"CLARA!" the girl named Tara squealed in response, standing up and running to give Clara a bone-crushing hug. Sara went to join.

Tara was a small girl, but not in the way you might think. She was thin, but by no stretch of the imagination was she short. She was just an inch over Clara, who was 5' 6". She had a heart-shaped face and large doe-like hazel eyes. Her reddish-brown hair just met her waist, and was perfectly straight. She was dressed in a half-Clara, half-Sara fashion. She had on a pair of baggy black sleeping pants with little blue skulls on them, but on top was wearing a light blue Abercrombie polo.

"The trio is reunited!" Clara chuckled, hugging both Tara and Sara. "Clara, Sara, and Tara, the terrible trio!"

"I'm guessing y'all were tight before the Titans," Kimi guessed slyly. The three girls made their way to where six sleeping bags were spread out on the floor before the television screen.

"Were? Man, Tara and I still raise hell, even from twenty miles away!" Clara exclaimed, plopping down on what she assumed to be her sleeping bag, a black and red one. She dropped her pillow and sat so she was hugging her knees loosely.

"Hell yes, babe," the one named Tara retorted with a mischievous smile, before doing a small secret handshake with Clara. "The trouble we got into...regulars at the principal's office, I assure you."

"That's not hard to believe," Kimi muttered. "Hard to believe Sara was in the principal's office, though."

"Man, that goody-goody never joined in the fun. She was the brains behind all of our little plans. And damn good at her job, too, if I do say so myself," Tara chuckled. "Good times, girls."

Kimi smiled. "Sounds like me and Danny. We put the term troublemakers to shame. Almost got suspended once."

"I remember that..." the girl next to Kimi trailed off thoughtfully.

"Clara, this is Lyndsey," Kimi greeted. Lyndsey smiled politely and waved. "But you can call her Lyn." Lyndsey was slightly chubby, but not enough so to really notice. She had more of an athletic build, really. Her face was round and her blue eyes were big and bright, with dirty blonde hair falling to her chest. She was wearing a simple tee with words scribbled across it, and a pair of field hockey sweatpants.

"Hey Lyn," Clara greeted.

"And of course you already know Alley," Sara continued, motioning to a girl sitting next to her on the other side of Tara. Alley was a long-time friend of Sara's. They had been friends ever since Sara and her had moved to Fairfield when they were eight. The girl was thinner than believed possible of anyone in the human race, and was proudly sporting an Eagle High School Varsity Cheerleading jacket.

Alley smiled and tucked a lock of brunette hair behind her ear. "Hey Clara. I can't believe you guys can do magic that's so cool. I wish I had superpowers."

Clara smiled politely, though she had never had a strong like for Alley. If she could remember correctly, it was her who constantly took the seat next to her sister at lunch, forcing her to sit alone.

"Ok, now that we're all introduced," Kimi bubbled happily. "Time for girls night in! I say the first thing we do is truth or dare. Girl's-night-in tradition, no?"

"Oh yay," Clara stated sarcastically.

"Oh, c'mon Clare, it'll be fun!" Tara exclaimed, tugging on her hand. "I love truth or dare. I am the self-proclaimed queen of the game."

"Whatev," Clara responded, but smiled softly. "Oh, I've got the best plan for you." Clara smirked evilly towards her technically older sister, but Sara missed it completely while talking to Alley.

"Who wants to go first?" Kimi asked.

"Me!" Clara shouted immediately, throwing her hand in the air. "Oh this is going to be good." They all got into a circle and with a smile Kimi urged her onward. "Sara-bear," she started in a sickly sweet voice. "Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

Oh crap. Maybe the plan would've worked better if Clara was sure her counterpart would pick dare. That sucks.

"Umm..." A lightbulb practically went off above Kimi's head, and with a squeal, she leaned over to Clara and began whispering in her ear. "Oh you're good," Clara gasped, looking at Kimi as if she was the smartest person on the face of the Earth.

"It's a gift," she replied with a blush and a bated grin.

"Sara..." Clara trailed off tantalizingly, seeing the look on her face. She purely looked scared. "You picked truth. Now you have to answer...is it true you're in wub with wittle Hawk-y Poo?" she asked in a babying voice.

Sara's jaw dropped. "I most certainly am not!" she replied defiantly. "I just happen to like him very, very much," she replied with a blush. "He's a...great person," she stated, then under her breath, "with a great bod."

"What was that?" Clara asked.

"Nothing," Sara replied angelically. "Kimi, truth or dare?"

"Truth," Kimi replied bashfully. "I don't want any dares you'll be dishing out."

Sara smirked. "Let's see...how old were you when you first made out? Truthfully."

Kimi's face fell, and she instantly blushed. Her hand came up to cover her mouth, and from behind it, she mumbled something. Sara complained how no one had heard, and Kimi was forced to repeat herself. "I was eight," she replied.

"What?" the other five girls in the room shrieked.

"Kimi, you didn't even tell ME that!" Lyn exclaimed. "You were eight years OLD?"

"I was on Tamaran," she replied bashfully. "And on Tamaran, adult situations are encouraged, even with children, as long as they aren't, y'know-" she whispered this part "-sluts."

"Oh my God!" Tara squealed. "You made out when you were eight? I didn't make out until I was thirteen!"

"Well, it was expected of us! He was an embassador's son, and I was the queen's daughter, and we were supposed to be betrothed, and X'hal knows whatever happened to that agreement, and...and...we were YOUNG!" she countered, blushing ten shades of red.

"Wow," Clara stated simply. "Just wow."

Kimi blushed again. "Pulling myself out of the limelight...Tara! Truth or Dare?"

Tara licked her lips and smirked. "Dare."

"Ooh," the other girls cooed simultaneously.

Kimi thought for a few moments. How to prank Tara? The others peered at her expectantly as she thought, trying to speed up the process by tapping her chin with her finger. No such luck. "Oh! I got it." Kimi reached onto the coffee table and snatched up Tara's cell phone. "I dare you to prank call Taku!"

Tara smirked. "That'll be easy." She took her cell phone and let Kimi dictate the number slowly and clearly so she could punch it in.

"What do I say?" she asked, covering the mouthpiece as it rang incessantly.

"He'll most definitely put it on speaker-phone since the other guys are there, so say something embarrassing. Like the twenty cases of tighty-whities he ordered are ready for delivery," Kimi told her. "Now go."

Tara turned the cell phone on speaker so all could hear. After the fourth ring there was a bit of rustling, a few manly chuckles, and a grunted, "Hello?"

"Hey there, sir," Tara started in an odd voice that did not match her appearance at all. It sounded like a forty-year old truck-driving woman. "I'm proud to announce the forty boxes of tighty-whities you ordered have arrived and are ready for deilvery."

"What!" Taku exclaimed. There were chuckles in the background. "I didn't order no forty boxes of underwear."

"Uhh, yes you did, sir. Now when should I have them delivered?"

"Don't deliver them! I didn't order no underwear!" he retorted.

"Ok, next Saturday sounds good to me," she stated. The girls all chuckled, but not loud enough for the boys on the other line to hear. "Will someone be home to accept the order from the delivery company?"

"What am I going to do with forty boxes of underwear?"

"I don't know, sir, why'd you order that much?"

The line promptly went dead, signaling Taku had hung up. Once Tara hung up, they all broke out into peals of laughter. "Oh that was hilarious!" Sara gasped. "You are a genius, Kimi!" Kimi looked proud.

"I know, I know, everyone praise me!"

The game went on. There were a few more silly dares, even more embarrassing truths, and a lot of laughter. Clara was still waiting for her chance to ask her sister the biggest dare she would ever receive in her lifetime. No lie. Clara was evil, and damn was she proud of it.

"Hold on," Sara stated, as raucous laughter arose over something Kimi had said. Her ears perked up and within seconds she murmured a spell that shot a sliver of white energy from her body. It slithered under the living room door, and within seconds it came back in and re-entered her body. "The boys are trying to listen in," she whispered. "Kimi, ask me truth or dare, real quick, then when I say truth ask me how I feel about Kyle. I'm going to show him that eavesdropping pays a price."

Sara stood and motioned for Kimi to ask the question as she sauntered towards the door. "Sara! Truth or Dare?"

Sara threw her voice with a simple spell. "Truth."

"Ooh, you're going to regret that one," she stated for show. Kimi smirked evilly as Sara pressed her ear up against the door. Kyle was hissing at the others to shut up so he could hear. "How do you feel about Kyle?"

There was a slightly audible thud that she took to be him pushing them all to the ground so they would shut up. "Oh. My-" he cut himself off. "Guys, shut UP!"

It was a wonder Sara hadn't heard them before. "Well, he's Kyle, you know?" she started. Her ear was still pressed against the door and she was smirking evilly. "He's a great leader. I don't know what we'd do without him." She feigned vulnerability. "But he's more than that. He's such a great guy, he's so funny, and-well-between us, he's really attractive and he's got a nice bod. He sometimes takes his work too seriously, but I can look past that for him." She sighed girlishly. "But do you know what I love most about him?"

"What?" all the girls asked in unison, fighting back giggles.

"Yea...what?" he whispered urgently.

"He's such dead meat," she stated through gritted teeth, letting the door slide open and the three boys topple over at her feet. "Having fun, boys?" Sara asked with the evil smirk still firmly planted in her features.

"Oh crap," Taku mumbled, scrambling up. Danny and Kyle soon followed, never looking back. Sara let out one of her silver laughs, tossing her hair back.

"That's what they get for eavesdropping."

And so the game continued. It was a few minutes before Clara finally found the opportunity to work her dark magic (the dark magic of her mind, I mean) on her counterpart.

"Sara," she trailed off delightfully, a smirk crossing her lips. A devious dare had already formed in her head. "Truth or dare, oh wonderful sister of mine?" she asked.

"Dare," she replied boldly.

_Heh. Wrong choice._

"I dare you to go down to Taku's room and..." Clara trailed off, making it suspenseful. "Kiss Kyle."

Sara gasped.

"For twenty seconds."

"Ooh," all the girls cooed unanimously.

Sara's eyes bugged out for a minute, but afterwards she regained herself and stared stolidly into her sister's hazel eyes. "Dare accepted." Sara stood up and began a confident stride out of the room. Everyone was staring after her for a few moments, before scrambling up and going to follow her.

It was a few silent minutes before they reached Taku's room. Sara raised her fist and planted a solid round of knuckle raps upon the door.

"Who is it?" Danny called angelically.

"Sara," she called back, just as sweet and sugar-coated. There was a slight rustle and the door glided open, revealing Kyle. He had an arm against each post of the chrome doorframe, his torso stretched out, smirking lazily. It was painfully obvious that he was in sleepwear; a pair of sweatpants and nothing else. Sara tried hard not to look, but, after all, she was an almost-fifteen year-old girl.

"Want to figure out what we're doing now?" he asked saucily. "After that little stunt you pulled, see if I tell you anything."

But instead of making some snappy retort, Sara slowly sauntered forward, took his neck, and pulled his head down so their lips met.

"Ho-lee-" the boys behind Kyle gasped.

Clara began counting, the devilish smirk never leaving her lips. "20...19...18..."

Kyle was surprised, to say the least. This was the last thing he expected to do tonight, to be kissing one of his teammates who was surrounded by a gigglinggaggle of girls. He began to melt into the kiss, though, his arms moving from the doorposts and wrap around her slender waist

"...17...16...15..."

Sara smiled against his lips, her hand roaming up from his neck to run through his silken locks of russet hair. She strung the ends a bit, playing with his hair, as his tongue slipped over her lips. Kyle playfully drew circles with his finger at the small of her back, sending shivers up her spine.

"...14...13...12..."

Sara's hands raked through his thick tangle of hair a bit more, before resting briefly on his shoulders. From there, her hands trailed down his sculpted chest and rested on his abdomen. Kyle smiled, pulling her closer.

Well, this was a fun way to spend his night.

"...11...10...9.."

Their kiss continued. And as much as Sara hated to admit it, she was enjoying it. She knew she had 'feelings' for Kyle, but she never knew they were these kind of feelings. She thought it was a silly schoolgirl infatuation, but she might really like him. And Kyle could only think the same thing, as he kissed her like this. He had never kissed anyone like this, not even one of his few short-term girlfriends.

"...8...7...6..."

Momentarily they pulled apart for breath but immediately, they both went at it again. Sara threw one arm haphazardly around his neck, and used the other to tug at the hem of his sweatpants to pull him closer. He easily obliged.

"...5...4...3..."

Everything fell away. Sara didn't even hear Clara counting anymore. All she heard was the constant 'thump, thump' of her heart in her ears. All she was aware of was how very close their bodies were, and how very gentle his hands were while caressing her back. Who taught this boy how to kiss? Sara would have to worship whoever it was later.

"...2...1...0!"

Clara proudly announced that time was up, but neither of the two broke apart. In fact, they seemed as if they hadn't heard her at all. "Sara!" Clara barked, and the two snapped apart, still holding onto each other. "Time's up," she told her. Sara blushed a light hue of crimson, and regretfully let go of Kyle. The girls began giggling and chattering, as they walked away. Sara looked back and sent one flirtatious smirk his way.

Then they were gone.

"Truth or Dare?" Taku asked.

"Truth or Dare," Kyle affirmed, before letting the door shut with a hydraulic hiss.

**TT2**


	24. Confessions

**A/N**: I'm sorry it took me so long to update. Things have been kind of crazy in my life, and I just had exams a few weeks ago, and it all gets a little crazy, but things have settled down. I'm back from my hiatus! Yay!

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans NOT mine!

**TT2**

**Wednesday September 16, 2019**

"What?" Vic asked her, blinking stupidly. So this was how Gar felt half the time.

"Don't speak. They can hear you," Jenna whispered in his ear. "Pretend I didn't say anything." She reached up and nibbled on his earlobe, pretending she had been kissing her boyfriend the entire time as Matty approached them.

"Other customers are starting to complain," he joked. "And it would do me good to not see y'all making out in my work area."

"Matty, stop being an ass," she joked back, but turned to Vic, making sure Matty couldn't see her face, and looked at him seriously. Jenna then put on a fake smile and turned back to Matty. "You're just complaining because you don't have a girlfriend."

The rest of the dinner was spent with light chatter, Jenna pretending as if she had said nothing before. Vic was still distressed over it; what was she talking about? Who was 'they'? He decided not to ask until they were presumably 'alone'.

It was a nice night, and they soon retired to the park, opting to take a late night stroll through Jump City Park. No one was around, and the night was clear with stars dotting the sky like fairy dust. Vic looked up, with one hand stuffed in his pocket and another around Jenna. She sighed softly and sadly.

"What's the matter? You seem rather...detached tonight," he commented softly, turning to look her in the eye. "Are you ok? Is something wrong?"

She was silent for a few moments, until they reached a bench. She quietly requested he sit down. Vic did as he was told, and she took a seat next to him, wordlessly. "Vic, there's something I need to tell you." She reached over and took his hand in both of hers. She looked down to their hands and then up to his eyes.

"Aw, Jen...Babe, what's wrong?" he asked, seeing her eyes were tearing up and her make-up was beginning to run. "Don't cry...shh...don't cry." He enveloped her in a hug. "Whatever it is, it's ok. We'll get through this together."

"No, I can't let you," she whispered in his ear.

"What?" he asked.

"Vic...I haven't been totally honest with you. I've been keeping a secret and I can't keep it anymore. I need to tell you..." she trailed off. "I'm still working for the HIVE." She pulled back and he looked as if he was about to yell, but she put a finger over his lips. "Let me explain," she whispered in his ear. "It's all been a set-up. Our relationship, our meeting, everything," she whispered. "The HIVE has been watching, waiting. They've brainwashed me. They need me to make my move."

"Jenna..." he whispered softly. "Jenna, say it ain't so."

"Vic, I love you," she murmured. "It didn't start out that way...you were just my newest project, but I learned I loved you ever since I first met you. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to be _me_ anymore. Help me."

He was speechless. Just hearing that took the words right from the tip of his tongue and left him with a feeling of senselessness. So he just let Jenna cling to him, letting her know he was here. He was here for her, no matter what.

It was a long while since either of them said anything, and Vic wondered why. He pulled away and saw she had fallen asleep in his arms, tears streaking her pink cheeks, her forehead red and blotchy. Vic sighed and picked her up, cradling her in his arms as if she were his child. He leaned down and kissed her forehead tenderly, before starting towards his car.

Vic slipped her in and buckled her in, before starting the car and beginning a slow drive back to his apartment. He'd let her stay with him tonight. God knows she shouldn't be alone in the state she was in. While driving he reached over and ran his hand over her hair, stealing quick glances at her but making sure to keep his eyes on the road.

"Jake..." she whispered in her sleep. "Go home..."

She was quiet thereafter, but he was puzzled. She was talking of her nephew in her sleep about him going home? Well, he couldn't blame her; he had strange dreams, too. He took a gentle curve into the parking lot, and took the nearest space. In a few minutes he had pulled Jenna from the car, successfully closed the door with his foot, and locked the car.

Vic trooped up to his apartment and fumbled with his keys a few moments before successfully unlocking the door and starting inside. He stumbled through the darkness and softly closed the door. With Jenna still asleep in his arms he walked to the bedroom and set her on the bed. From his closet he pulled out sweatpants and a shirt to let her sleep in for the night. Vic carefully took off her dress and slipped the clothes onto her delicate form, before slipping her under the covers.

Vic ambled back into the hallway to lock his front door, before joining Jenna in the bedroom. He slipped off his clothes and threw them into a hamper, before grabbing a pair of pants and slipping them over his boxers. He was about to climb into his bed when Jenna jerked awake.

"Jenna?" he asked.

"Vic?" she asked back. "Oh Vic. It's happening!" she exclaimed frantically. "Don't let them know you know. I-"

But suddenly she began having spasms, rolled over, and fell off the bed.

"JENNA!" Vic screamed.

He was about to jump over the bed, but she rose, her eyes glowing pink. She stretched one hand out, letting it glow pink as well. There was a malicious smirk on her face, and Vic could tell she was being controlled by a greater force; the HIVE. "Say goodnight, Victor," she spat, before letting her magic go and hit him square in the chest. He let out an anguished cry and fell backwards.

Then the world went black.

**TT2**

**Thursday September 17, 2019**

Kori and Richard had gotten a call that frightened them more than they thought possible. As Richard and Kori were watching TV the night after seeing Ryan (he recently moved one town over, so they would be seeing each other often), when their phone began to ring.

Kori excused herself from Richard's arm and went to go answer the telephone. She padded into the kitchen and nimbly picked up the portable phone. "Hello?" she greeted politely.

"Hello. Is this the Grayson residence?" a voice asked.

"Yes it is," Kori replied.

"I am Mr. Natures, Raven works for me over at the Moonlight Café," he announced. "I was just calling because Raven gave me your number in her resume as an emergency contact and I was wondering if you knew where Raven is. She didn't come into work today, and when called she didn't answer. I was just hoping everything was ok."

"Oh, I'm sure she's ok," Kori told the man sweetly. "I'm sure she forgot to call and say she couldn't come in today, and simply missed the telephone when it rang. Either way, I shall call her fiancee and make sure."

"Thank you," the gruff voice of her boss stated on the other line.

Kori hung up the phone and kept it with her as she sat next to Richard once more. There was a second or two of silence before he quietly asked, "Who was that on the phone?"

"Oh, it was the boss of Raven. He stated that she had not showed up for work today, and he was worried, so he gave us a call. I will call Gar and perhaps see if she took the day off and forgot to call in," Kori stated. She reached for the phone, but it began ringing again. Puzzled, she looked at Richard, then picked up the portable phone.

She watched it ring for a few minutes, before hesitantly turning it on. "Hello?" she asked in her innocent tone.

"Hello, is this the household of Kori Anders and Richard Grayson?" a gruff voice on the other line asked. "This isTrey over at AlternaMusic. I'm Gar's boss. I was just wondering if you had any idea where he's been over the past two days. He didn't come into work yesterday, he didn't come into work today, he didn't call, and when we called his house and his cell he didn't pick up either."

Kori gasped. "I will get to the bottom of this right away, and I will call you back immediately." The man obliged and immediately thereafter the two hung up the phone.

"What's wrong, Kor?" Richard asked.

"Richard, go warm up your motorcycle. We're taking a trip to Gar and Raven's house."

Richard did as he was told as Kori went up to her room to quickly throw on some clothes and grab her necessities. She ambled outside and saw that he was waiting there, on his motorcycle, revving it up every few minutes. He had a helmet on, and held one out for her. Kori took the helmet gratefully and climbed onto the back of the motorcycle. She gripped his waist tight, silently letting him know she was ready, and he took off.

"What's the problem?" he asked, turning his back only just a little so he could still concentrate on the road before him.

"Gar and Raven have been missing," she yelled over the roar of the wind as he sped up the pace of the motorcycle. "I worry for them, for no one has heard from them since yesterday. I hope nothing is wrong, but we must get there quick. I am having a feeling."

Richard nodded in understanding. Kori sometimes had feelings, and rarely were they ever wrong. This meant it was time to start worrying. "What do you think could be wrong?" he asked, a hint of anxiety in his voice. He began biting his lip, a common nervous habit.

"I do not know, but I do not wish to wait to find out," she replied. He took a sharp turn onto the main road and sped up a little more. "Raven and Garfield are capable of taking care of themselves, so hopefully it is nothing big. Hopefully this will only be a mere false alarm."

Richard drove in silence for a few more minutes until he took a sharp turn into the parking lot, parked in the nearest spot he could find. Richard slipped off his helmet and rested both Kori's and his on the handlebars. Anxiously she grabbed his hand and began dragging him towards their condominium. It was not long before she was avidly jogging.

"Hurry up!" she chided her husband.

He rolled his eyes. "Kori, it's ok, nothing will change if we don't get there faster. Don't worry, I'm sure nothing's wrong."

Kori, though, was not at all calmed by her husband's attempts. When she got phone calls form both of her best friend's bosses, and they both said her best friends had been missing for the past twenty-four hours, she got antsy.

And do you know what happens when aliens get antsy?

It's not fun. Just ask Richard. He has to deal with an antsy alien everyday of his life. Lucky for him he loves her so much he doesn't care. She dragged him to the entrance and quickly jogged up to their apartment. She knocked avidly on the door, but there was no answer.

"Raven! Garfield!" Kori called. She grew impatient and reached for the doorknob, but it was locked.

"Star, give me your hair-clip," he ordered of her. It was lucky she had decided to wear her hair up today. Kori obliged and easily took the clip from her hair, handing it to her fiancee. He expertly used the clip to pick the lock on the door, and within moments it swung open in one fluid motion. Kori flew into the living room, and hovering in the air, looked around for any sign of life.

No luck.

She flew into the kitchen.

No such luck.

She flew to the guest bedroom.

Again, no luck.

She flew into the guest bathroom.

As well, she had no luck here.

She flew into the family room.

Do I really have to repeat myself?

At last, Kori flew into the bedroom, with Richard right behind her. She gasped, letting her feet touch back down to the ground, and backed up so her back was pressed tightly against his chest. "Richard," she breathed, her voice shaking. "Oh X'hal."

Once Kori regained herself she walked forward, ignoring piles of ripped clothes, splintered furniture, smashed CD's, tossed jewelry, broken glass, and askew papers. Kori sat on the edge of the large bed, watching Raven with watering eyes.

Was she even alive?

Kori reached out and ran her hand through Raven's violet locks. The girl turned in her sleep, the one sign that she was still alive because her breathing was too deep and even to notice. Kori gasped once more. Her eyes were puffy and red, her forehead was blotchy, her lips were dry and her skin was paler than normal. Her face was gaunt and while she seemed emaciated in her face, she seemed to be gaining weight.

"Raven? Raven?" Kori asked, gently nudging her. "Oh, Raven, please wake up."

Her eyes slowly blinked open and Raven looked up at Kori. Almost at once she began bawling and reached up to hug Kori around the waist, crying into her collarbone. "Kori, he left! Kori he left me! The child...me...and he left...Oh Kori!"

"Richard, go start a pot of tea," Kori ordered of him. He nodded and left the room. Kori stood and picked up Raven, cradling her in her arms, before beginning out of the room, stepping around the piles of ruined paraphernalia. "It will all be ok soon, dear friend Raven."

"He left, Kor. It'll never be ok..." she wailed, wrapping her arms around Kori's neck and crying into her shoulder.

"Ok, let us sort this out..." Kori cooed, setting Raven gently on the couch and draping a blanket over her. "We need to know what happened to you so we can make you feel better, correct?"

Richard came into the room with three cups of green tea. He gave one to Raven, one to Kori, and kept one for himself. "Now, Raven," Kori started softly, patting her back after she set her cup of tea down on the coffee table. "Calm down...shh...that's right. Now what happened?"

"I-I came home," she sniffled. "Yesterday afternoon I came home to find Gar sitting on the bed, next to a suitcase. I asked him what was going on, and he told me he needed to go off to fight the Brotherhood of Evil."

Richard and Kori gasped.

"We got into a small fight and he told me this was something he needed to do...it was something he needed to do to protect me, to make sure I was safe, to make sure the world was safe for me to live in," she continued on, her hand wandering down to her abdomen. "I didn't have the heart to tell him I was...I am pregnant."

Kori gasped and her eyes darted down to Raven's stomach. She patted it softly. "You mean...he does not know you two are expecting a child in the near future?" she asked in her adorably naive way. "He left and you did not tell him?"

"I couldn't have him distracted by the mere thought of being father while at battle. I didn't want that to interfere with anything," Raven whispered, taking a deep swig of her green tea and sighing in relief. "I couldn't pluck up the courage to tell him something that big moments before he left to go fight."

Richard could predict tears, and put an arm around her as Kori took her cup and let Raven cry into her fiancee's lap. "Oh, it's ok Raven," he cooed softly. "I'm sure he'll be back soon. Gar would never want to stay away from you."

"I agree with Richard, Raven," Kori whispered softly, patting her back as she hunched over and continued to bawl. "He will not wish to be away from you for long. We all know he loves you and would do anything for you, even if it includes going off to fight with the Brotherhood of Evil to protect you."

Despite their attempts to calm her, Raven continued to snivel softly.

"Rae, c'mon, don't cry," Richard whispered, and Kori began to mumble meaningless words in continued attempts to hush their friend. "It'll be ok."

Richard looked to his fiancee. A frown was set in stone on his face, and his eyes were tired, those of a forty year-old.

"I'm not upset for how long until he comes back," she told them, looking up, fresh tear lines streaking her cheeks. "I'm upset over whether or not he comes back."

**TT2**

**ThursdaySeptember 17, 2018**

Vic slowly let his eyes flutter open. Before him was an agitated Jenna, wringing her hands and nervously looking him over. When she realized his eyes were open, Jenna threw herself at him in a colossal hug. "I'm so sorry! I'm so so sorry! I told you I was brainwashed, and-oh GOD! I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just-" she continued rambling before he gently pulled away and pressed his finger to her lips.

"Calm down," he told her with a small chuckle. "I'm fine, am I not?"

She bit her lip nervously. "I guess. I'm just-I feel horrible. Please, forgive me?"

"I forgive you," he told her, trying to keep a straight face, but he failed miserably and chuckled. "Really, you were just under mind-control. I don't blame you. I blame the HIVE, but I don't blame you."

"Oh, I love you," she gasped as she threw her arms around him once more. She pulled back and bit her lip. "Look, I was supposed to mind erase you about last night, while I was no longer under their influence, but I forgot. Just, tell anyone who asks that you passed out last night for...some reason..." she trailed off. "I don't know, but..."

Vic looked around as she kept trailing off. "Where am I?" he asked.

She blushed. "I needed to get back to my house, but I didn't want to leave you alone, so I used my magic to bring you back here so I could keep an eye on you," she told him. "I-" but she was cut off by a loud ringing voice.

"Mommm!" a voice rang throughout the apartment as the door slammed shut. Jenna's eyes went wide as she bolted up off the bed and ran into the hallway. There were quiet murmurings for a few moments, before Jenna gingerly walked back into the bedroom.

Vic watched as she walked back into the room, chewing her bottom lip. "My nephew left a change of clothes here when he slept over a few nights prior," she announced, her voice at an odd volume. "He slept over because my sister said something about-"

Then the front door slammed shut, and Jake seemed to be gone.

"Vic," she began, starting forward to sit next to his side on the bed. "Listen, there's more I still haven't told you. Everything is so screwed up that I can barely remember what I haven't told you and what I have told you. My life's been all downhill ever since the HIVE became murderous."

"Jen, what's wrong?" he asked, his hand coming up to rest over hers, and intertwine their fingers.

"I didn't tell you, Jake isn't really my nephew, he's my son," she explained. Vic's eyes nearly bugged out of his skull. "He's been my son ever since I was nineteen. Jake was given to me. He was five at the time. I wasn't told anything about his past, and he would never open up to me, but he's been a real reclusive boy. The first breakthrough in our relationship was when I was twenty and he was seven. He hurt himself, and he was crying pretty hard." Jenna looked away, willing unshed tears to pass. "I patched him up and told him he'd be just fine, but he said he was only crying because his mom used to do the exact same thing when he had a boo-boo. It was the only thing he had ever told me about his family."

Vic watched her intently as she wiped away her tears. "We've been close ever since, and we've always been a team, belonging to the HIVE. We've always talked about going against it, but were never able to. Like I said, they're murderous. They'd kill us. Ever since he's been my son, I've always loved him. I've always wanted to protect him. I'd die for Jake. For now, I told him to go to Matty's house until I tell him what's going on."

She rested her head against the headboard, watching him through her blurry vision. She smiled softly. "You know, I'm just waiting for you to up and walk out one of these days," she told him. "I guess that's what I expect you to do."

"I could never do that," he responded.

"And that's why you're different from other guys,"she whispered. "I just, I need to-"

but her cell phone rang and she jumped up to grab it from her bureau. She looked at the caller ID before flipping it open. She greeted whoever was on the other line with a stiff "yea?". She listened for a few minutes before an eyebrow rose. "What!" she exclaimed.

Vic jumped up form his position on the bed and came towards her, concern etched into his features. 'Jenna?' he mouthed. 'What's wrong?'

She ignored him blatantly and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What happened? He just left a note that said...?" Jenna gasped and dropped her cell phone. Vic's eyes widened as he reached forward and lightly grabbed her arms.

"Jenna," he breathed.

She broke from her trance and bent over to pick up the dropped phone. "I'll be right there," she whispered. She shut the phone and slipped it into her pocket. "Vic, I have to go," she told him. "I'll call you later tonight, if I get the chance, but for now I need you to get out." She grabbed her car keys and deposited them into her pocket as well. "I'm sorry."

"What happened?" he asked.

"I-I can't tell you," she stuttered quickly. "I will, I just need to get this sorted out. God, my life is so fucked up," she moaned. She hugged him and for a moment let herself slip away. "I really wouldn't mind if you decided to leave me."

"It sounds like you're trying to get rid of me," he chuckled, raking his fingers through her hair.

She puled back and smiled. "C'mon, you need to go. I can't have you here. It's too dangerous." She swatted at his backside until they were to the door and he pulled it open easily.

"Too dangerous?" he asked inquisitively.

She looked up to him and nodded. "Don't ask, I promised I would tell you and you can hold me to that."

He smiled softly before leaning down to peck her lips softly. "If it helps, I hope you work it all out."

"Me too, Vic. Me too."

**TT2**


	25. Traumatized

**A/N**: Sorry it took so long for me to update. School has been a biYAtch. Urgh. And conditioning for LACROSSE season. Yay. That means a lot of running for me.

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans are not mine. Teen Titans will be mine when I find a boyfriend that will confess hsi secret love for Teen Titans to me haha.

**TT2**

**Thursday September 17, 2019**

As one might have expected otherwsie, the next day was not awkward between Sara and Kyle. In fact, they seemed as if they had never gotten along better. The other teammates found this quite amusing, and would giggle like schoolgirls whenever they were in the same room together. Sara would glare hatefully, and Kyle would suggest with an acrimonious tone that they had something better to do with their time. Go suck eggs, maybe?

It had been a slow day. Clara was on the way to her room when she caught a bit of some noise coming from Taku's room. Curious girl that she was, she silently tiptoed towards his bedroom door and listened.

"_Me and my star...Matthew goodnight_," he sang softly, as an acoustic background played. He wasn't...playing the guitar?

_Way to be original...Beast Boy played the guitar_ Clara thought with a silent and derisive snort. "He could've at least played something all his own," she whispered to herself.

"_You know, by law, when you'll be forgiven_," he continued to sing, and hit a sour note, but continued on anyways. "_Maria, my star...Matthew goodnight._ _You know, my lord, when you'll be forgiven_."

Clara's evil smirk began to fade. Her mouth was slightly ajar as she listened to the lyrics he was singing. Clara had heard them before, and knew they were not his own, but all in the same the subject was clear. Taku could be very profound sometimes.

He was singing of his brother and sister.

Clara entered the access override code to enter his room. He did not look up when the door opened, but she knew Taku was aware of her presence. His fingers were diligently strumming, as he continued as if she were not there.

"Wait, now, here, when will you believe?" he sang softly. "Me, I'm merely asking you to help me, when did I say to murder? Wait, now, here, please hear me out. Time consumer, time consuming, consume me."

He strummed the guitar a few more times, before heaving a sigh and setting it beside him on his bed and leaning back. For the first time in a week, he observed her thoroughly. She looked tired, somewhat happy (which was uncharacteristic of her), but tired. "So you've discovered my secret."

"What secret?" Clara asked. "You play guitar."

"I was kidding," he responded, raising an eyebrow at her. "Not too sharp today, are we?" Clara sneered at him. "Not that much of a secret, but the only people who know are the other members of the band I play in, and now, well, you. Can you keep it?"

Clara let slip a small smile, before ambling forward to take the empty seat next to him on the bed. "In fact, I can."

"Ok then," he responded jubilantly. "Any requests?"

Clara raised an eyebrow at him, and let a smirk slip onto her lips. "Do you know Unemployed Boyfriend by Everclear?"

**TT2**

Sara sat diligently on the couch, lazily stretched out, flipping channels every so often. She was bored. And no, this was not average boredom. This was tear-your-eyeballs-out-and-use-them-as-super-balls-for-fun bored. She would jump at the chance to do ANYTHING at the moment.

"Hey Sara, wanna come train with me?" Kimi asked.

Except that.

"Meh," was her half-hearted reply. Kimi shrugged and walked away. Sara was once more sinking back into the peace and quiet of the empty living room. Besides the jarring sound of the television, of course. Quiet...peaceful..relaxation...

"TITANS! TITANS!" Danny came into the room screaming. Seeing only Sara on the couch, he ran to the computer and slammed his hand on the emergency button. Sara sighed and turned off the television. Peace and quiet ruined.

"What's wrong, Danny?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, Kyle, Taku, and Kimi came sliding into the room. "Where's Clara?" Taku asked. Kyle looked around and saw she was not there, but dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "What was so important, then?" Taku snapped.

"Baron is gone! He broke out!"

"What?" Kyle screamed. "You've got to be f-" but Sara slapped her hand over his mouth to prevent unnecessary sayings. He shot an annoyed glance at Sara and she relinquished his mouth. "Thank you. You've got to be kidding me! There was no way he could've broken out!"

"Well, he did! I went in there and he was gone. I didn't stick around to see how, but I came up here to get y'all immediately," Danny stated.

"Look, Danny, you get down to the surveillance room and check out the tapes, and when Clara gets here, she can help you. Taku, Kimi, you two go inspect the cell room, look for something out of the ordinary," Kyle ordered at once, pointing fingers at each person as he mentioned all of them. "Anything that could possibly help...any little piece of something that can help us discover how he broke out."

Sara looked to her leader and cocked her head to the side, her brow furrowed. "And me?"

"We're going after Baron."

Sara and Kyle (as Hawk) were on the road several minutes later. She was flying by his side at top speed to keep up with his motorcycle, both of them just white and black blurs to people walking on the streets of Jump City.

"Thirty meters, dead ahead!" Sara shouted. "His attraction, its growing."

An attraction, in terms of magic, was a concentration of a person's pure being, tracked by their DNA. Sara had found a hair on the cell floor and used it to track his essence, or his attraction, to this very spot. An attraction, though was not the actual location of the person, but a place where he had been or spent a lot of his time. Kyle sharply stopped in front of a large building: The Pizza Place.

"He-he's been here," Sara stated uncertainly. "Oh my-" she had a small spasm. "He's been here recently, and he's been here a lot," Sara told him. Sara was suddenly blown back, and though she fell onto the ground and was in slight pain, she got up anyways.

"Sara!" Kyle called, running towards her. "Sara, what happened?" he asked, helping her up.

"I don't know, that's never happened before," she told him, rubbing her head. He swatted her hand away and checked to see if there were any noticeable wounds. "Well, it has...once. I was battling with Clara and she used a mind shield on me...but...Baron isn't capable of that. He would've unleashed the power by now if he had it."

"But someone close to him..."

"Nice to see you again," a voice hissed in Sara's ear.

She gasped and turned, but nothing was there.

"Couldn't keep you Titans away, could I?" the voice hissed into Kyle's ear. He didn't turn, merely pulled out his bo-staff and twirled it about his being. When it hit nothing but air, he ceased and rested it at his side.

"Let's fight."

Both heard the voice and turned. "Sara, back!" Hawk yelled. Sara nodded, reverse-stepping to rest her back against his. She gasped in a breath, as they slowly turned with each other to survey their surroundings. It seemed normal.

Suddenly, a black form fell down from the balcony of the Pizza Place and pressed his palm to the ground, creating a rift in the road. Sara saw this immediately and flew up, tugging Hawk's hand to bring him up with her. "Thanks," he said breathlessly.

"Anytime," she replied, setting him back on the ground. "Now let's show this scum what Titans are made of."

Hawk ran forward with a battle cry, raising his bo-staff and striking it at Baron. Baron deflected it with slashes in the back of his gloves. Hawk swiped at his feet and pegged him down. Hawk was about to bring his bo-staff down onto Baron's chest, but he disappeared and reappeared right behind him.

"HAWK!" Sara called. He jerked his head to the side just in time to avoid a punch to the back of the head. Sara came forward, a spell slipping off her tongue, and it hit Baron right in the back as he was busy battling Hawk.

Baron was down on the ground and Hawk had his foot on his chest, preventing him from getting up. "What do you want this time?"

"Nothing, I just like screwing with you!" Baron spat, before disappearing into thin air.

Sara came forward, lightly grasping Hawk's arm. He turned to her slightly, before shaking his head in disappointment. He would not understand why, and he would never understand the workings of Baron's mind, but once again he had slipped through their grasp.

**TT2**

Kyle and Sara arrived back home about thirty minutes later after one last patrol, to make sure there was no way they could possibly find him. They met in the main room, where Clara was sitting nervously, Danny was tapping his foot, Taku and Kimi were looking downcast, and the overall air of the room was gloomy.

"We didn't catch him," Sara announced to the room. She pulled off her cape and threw it on the back of the couch in anger. "Stupid, little, good-fer-nothing..." she began mumbling to herself, crossing her arms over her chest.

Kyle watched her through remorseful eyes. Sara did NOT take defeat well. "Danny, what did you and Clara come up with in the surveillance room?" he asked them.

Clara looked to Danny, silently pleading with her eyes. "Nothing. He must've somehow broken into the surveillance room and taken the tape," Danny replied softly. Kyle then proceeded to ask Taku what he and Kimi found.

Clara looked to Danny and smiled gratefully. It was always good to have a friend...

"_Titans?" she asked as she skidded into the living room. She sighed and pulled out her communicator, speaking clearly into it. "Danny, where are the Titans?" she asked._

"_Baron broke out. You and I are supposed to be watching the surveillance tapes to see how he did it. I should have-" but then Danny went silent. "Ho-ly. Crap."_

"_Danny? Danny?" Clara asked frantically. He had found the tape!_

_Clara took off for a sprint towards the surveillance room. No, no, NO! Danny could NOT have found the tape! Why didn't she remember to take it out? Why was she so stupid! Oh God, now her secret would be out and she would be called a heretic of all the things she stood for! "Danny!" Clara called as she skidded into the room and slowly ventured in._

_Danny was sitting at the control panel, sitting in a swivel chair, his index fingers pointed up and resting on his lips as he watched the tape before him. "Danny...oh please, Danny..."_

_Danny turned and stood to look at her, his eyes as icy cold as se had ever seen them. "You...and Baron?" Danny looked back at the screen. "You haven't even known this guy for more than-what?-two weeks! Now you're making out with him on the floor of a jail cell?"_

"_Look, Danny, I know that looks bad-" but she was cut off._

"_Save it, Clare. I'm calling Kyle on this one." He turned his back to her and pulled the communicator out of his pants pocket._

_Clara's head dropped and she began to breath heavily. There was one thing she could do, but it was her last chance. "Danny, wait," she whispered softly, coming forward to rest her hand on his shoulder. "I know that looks bad. Hell, it looks awful. But think of how you feel when you see Kimi." His shoulders drooped a bit. "Think of how much you care about her." He sighed. "Well, I know...I can just feel that's how much he cares about me. And I care about him. I wouldn't go as far to say I love him, but, having known him for two weeks or not, he's different. He's not evil, he's just lost."_

_Danny turned his head to see the hand on his shoulder. Then, he looked up into Clara's large hazel eyes. "Really?" he asked quietly._

"_Really," she affirmed._

"_Then, I guess, I can't say anything else to that except I'll keep your secret," he sighed, with a soft smile._

"_Really?" she asked excitedly, her eyes lighting up._

"_Really," he agreed. Clara rushed forward and hugged him only momentarily, before pulling back and coughing awkwardly. "But, you have to promise me you'll be careful. You have to be careful, not just for your sake, but for the Titans."_

"_I will, oh, I promise!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. Danny smiled._

"_I've got to be the biggest softy in the world for 'the eyes'," he commented. "No matter what woman does it, I can never resist saying no. You got lucky."_

"_I am lucky to have a friend like you," she whispered back, reaching forward and giving him another tight squeeze._

_So now he knew why she was so happy._

**TT2**

It was pure coincidence when Sara and Kyle met up on the roof during the sunset that evening. He was in his "moody" state; he had his knees drawn up and was taking deep breaths, deep within the recesses of his mind. He was thinking.

Sara approached him cautiously, not wishing to disturb him, but merely wishing to watch the sunset. It greatly helped her to think, sometimes, and that's just what she needed to do at the moment. "Hey there," he greeted, though he did not turn around and she had been quiet as a church mouse.

"How'd you know it was me?" she asked softly, watching his face bathed in the glow of the setting sun. "I was trying not to disturb you."

"I can always tell when it's you," he told her with a smile, turning to watch her with a cocked head. "But I can't always tell why you're up here. Want to share?"

"I was bored," she lied with a small shrug. "I figured I would find you and we could carry on a conversation without our teammates giggling like schoolgirls at every word we exchange. They can be such little children sometimes."

"Tell me about it," he murmured, with an exaggerated roll of the eyes. He leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head, sighing. Trying to occupy himself with the silence, he busied himself with trying to blow a lock of hair from his eyes. "That kiss...Truth or Dare?" he asked. In all truth, right now was the only time all day he had alone to think about said kiss.

"Yup," Sara responded nonchalantly, not at all aware of the fact that her face rivaled the color of her pink shorts. "Clara can be evil sometimes. I know she loves me, but she uses things against me."

"If it's any consolation, you're an amazing kisser," he breathed.

Sara's face now rivaled the color of Starfire's hair. "Thanks. You too. I hardly believe that was something you picked up when training with Batman."

It was now his turn to shine bright crimson. "It's not a skill, it's a talent. You don't learn it, you're born with it," he recited. "Or at least that's what my friend Stan says."

Sara giggled in her endearing little way, twisting her neck to look down at him. She turned around so she rested her torso against the side of his bent legs, and her arms were resting on his knees. "My friends are the same way. Except they have a little saying...it's not quality, it's quantity." Kyle slipped his sunglasses down so she could see his cocked eyebrow above one sparkling turquoise eye. "They try and make out with everything male they see."

Kyle let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "I know what that's like. Not to sound arrogant, but girls were rather fond of me."

Sara stuck out her tongue at him. He stuck out his in a retort. "Real original," Sara joked.

He smirked. "That's what I do best. Originality." Sara's grin fell into a soft smile as she watched the clouds roll on by, taking on hues of purples, blues, and soft pinks. Kyle was looking away, but because of his dark glasses, you couldn't know he was secretly watching Sara.

"The clouds are so beautiful this time of night," she sighed, resting her elbow on his knee and propping her chin up. "So delicate. Like if you jumped from the sky you'd just land on a soft, cottony heap of cloud."

Kyle chuckled at her innocence.

Sara ignored his small chuckle and gave up her position on his knees to lay down next to him. "Today was so hectic," she murmured, her head tilting slightly so her temple was resting against his. "As you can see, I don't take loss well."

"Neither do I, so its ok," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I just wish we could get our hands on him and keep him. We don't seem to be having much luck with that aspect," Sara told him, her eyes fluttering closed. She straightened out her legs and rolled onto her side so her forehead was against his temple and her parted lips were blowing warm breath onto his cheek.

"No, we don't. Hopefully with more training we will catch him, but this is a the type of villain that will get his own story. Hence the title of this fanfiction," Kyle mused.

"Hm?" Sara asked.

"Oh, nothing," he replied, his cheeks turning pink though she could not see him.

There was a long stretch of silence. Soon, Kyle let his guard down, and seeing the stars twinkle all around them, he began to feel drowsy. His eyes fluttered closed and within seconds he was fast asleep.

And three little teenagers by the names of Clara, Kimi, and Taku, quiet as Church Mice, watching the two from the rooftop door, all exchanged exclamations of success. One of them, whose hand was encased in black, smirked in satisfaction

Her drowsiness charm worked after all.

**TT2**

Kyle jerked awake three hours later. He groaned, his head pounding with pain, his back in need of a good cracking, and his eyes laced with a good amount of lethargy. He glanced to the sleeping Sara beside him and smiled softly. Suddenly, all of his pain just faded away.

"Sara," he whispered softly in her ear. "Sara?"

But she merely rolled over onto her side, throwing her arm out. It coincidentally landed on Kyle's waist. Kyle smiled to himself, before gently picking her arm off and setting it back to her side. He agilely stood, bending low to slowly lift her off the ground. Her blonde waves cascaded from her lolled head, her arms dangling.

Kyle adjusted her in his arms so she was resting comfortably. With an obnoxious yawn he opened the slightly ajar rooftop door with his foot and began down the stairs that led towards their rooms. There was an unusual bounce in his step that would've been noticed by anyone present, if they were conscious.

"You know, you can be smart sometimes," Kyle heard Clara snap sarcastically as he passed the living room, no doubt to Taku.

"I know," he replied proudly.

Her cynicism in that statement had been painfully obvious, but Taku wouldn't notice sarcasm if it danced three feet in front of him wearing nothing but Kyle's sunglasses.

Kyle snorted and continued on, until he had reached Sara's door. She may have been remarkably light for a girl her age, but his arms felt like they were going to fall off after carrying her down three flights of stairs. The door slid open and he eagerly set her down on the bed, pulling back the covers only to lay them across her sleeping form. Kyle smiled at the innocent image before him, reaching down to brush the flaxen hair from her closed eyes. "Sweet dreams, Sara."

He left the room swiftly and then let the door hiss as it closed. With a small satisfied smile still on his face, he passed by Danny's room and began towards his own.

Wait.

That didn't sound right.

He backtracked and stopped right in front of Danny's room. He pressed his ear against the door, and listened intently to the small sounds emitting from inside. Kyle furrowed his brow and continued to listen. It seemed Danny was having a...nightmare, of sorts?

Suddenly, thunder cracked, lightning lit up the sky, and rain began pouring outside. Danny grunted and let out a small terrified scream. Two more booms of thunder came. "Oh God," Kyle breathed. He entered the access code to Danny's room and cautiously entered. Danny was thrashing about his bed, sweat dripping down his face, his features contorted into a look of pain and misery.

"Kimi. Kimi!" he called out in his sleep. Kyle watched in fright as his teammate continued to thrash. He kicked off half his covers, revealing on his chest three parallel scars above his left pectoral muscle and a healing bullet wound in his right shoulder.

A _bullet _wound?

Kyle ran to Kimi's room and avidly knocked on the door as thunder shook the tower to its core once more. "Kimi!" Kyle called breathlessly. The door slid open with ease and a tired Kimi appeared. She raised a single eyebrow. "Danny's having a nightmare. He keeps calling out your name."

Kimi's face fell. "Oh X'hal," she gasped. She darted back to her bed and slipped on her robe over her pajamas, tied it tight, and began flying towards Danny's room.

Thunder crashed once again.

"Danny," Kimi cooed, taking a seat next to his thrashing form on the bed. She looked to Kyle, and he immediately knew it was time to give them their space. "Danny!" she called to him, her hand reaching over to smooth out his blonde hair. Kimi took a deep breath, and interlaced her singers with his. "It's just you, and me, and all of the people," she began singing softly to him. It was _their_ song, and whenever she sang it to him, he was calm. Hopefully it would work this time. "And I don't know why, but I can't keep my eyes off of you." He calmed down as she continued singing, his head leaning into her soft touch.

His silver eyes peeked open, already glazed. "K-Kimi?" he asked. He looked around. "Where am I?"

A bolt of lightning appeared the same time thunder sounded. Danny visibly jumped. His scared eyes, eyes of a traumatized nine year-old, looked up at her. "Kimi," he breathed, lunging at her in an embrace, his arms snaking under her armpits and his head burying into her collarbone.

"It's ok, Danny. It's just me. It's just me," she murmured, rocking her body slightly to calm him. "No one else."

"I feel like he's coming after me again," Danny whispered, and the rain continued to beat harder and harder against the window pane.

"He can't hurt you. He's gone, he's finished," Kimi told him. "He was finished that night, he can't hurt you anymore."

"_Mommy, I think I heard something next door."_

"_Kimi, I am sure it was nothing."_

"_Mommy!" the little girl gasped, as a light drizzle began from the sky, soon turning into torrents of rain._

Danny's breathing became softer, but he was still visibly shaken. Kimi pulled back and kissed his forehead. "Danny, remember all those times you told me to stay strong? Through everything we've been through, through all the good times and the bad. Well, I need you to stay strong. Don't let this hurt you anymore."

_She called the police immediately._

_The mother clung to her child, as she whimpered seeing her best friend on the ground, blood spilling from his shoulder and bruises and marks all over his body._

"_Kimi, get out of here. Run. Go home, hide under the covers of my bed, and stay there."_

Kimi, as they both pulled away, traced the three scars that never faded, reminding him of that horrible night. That horrible life. The horrible things he put up with until he was nearly nine years old. "Danny, I'm not asking you to suck it up. Never would I ask you to do such a thing, but please, try to forget it. It's in the past."

"_He is drunk! Or at least, he was..."_

Kimi ran her fingers through his soft hair. "God, that dream...it's as vivid as if it were yesterday," he told her, his voice cracking noticeably. "And I have you to thank. If it were not for you, I might not be alive."

"Do not think of such things!" she commanded. "You would be well alive. And who cares for 'if'? All that matters is here, now. You're safe. You're safe with me."

_"Kimi...don't leave me..."_

"Kimi, don't leave me..."

Kimi sat next to his form and propped herself up against the headboard. He slid back down into the bed, and his eyes fluttered closed as she continued playing with his hair. She would only stay until he fell asleep.

And Kimi couldn't help but think his father got what he deserved, for putting Danny in such a state.

**TT2**


	26. Raven Roth Shakedown

**A/N**: Forewarning, the next (adult) chapter will be pretty much the pinnacle of my story, or so I believe. It is basically the Kori/Richard plotline I've been building up. Don't hate me, it's going somewhere. The song I used in this chapter is BASED on Bonnie Taylor Shakedown by hellogoodbye. The words are different, that's why I said BASED on.

**Disclaimer**: If the Teen Titans were mine, I'd be using my brilliant ideas on Cartoon Network. Durr.

**TT2**

**Friday September 18, 2019**

It was the day after Richard and Kori found Raven in her depressed state, and since then she had been staying with them. Kori offered (with no signs of relenting) for Raven to come stay with them, and she politely declined, but then gave in. Maybe it would be smart to have someone to stay with while she got everything sorted out.

Raven had gone back to work today and was just home from a long day. She kicked off her shoes, and was going to quickly hop on her laptop before taking a shower. Kori, Richard, and Raven had decided to go out for Hibachi.

Raven sat down to check her e-mail. With ease she typed in her e-mail address and password, before clicking "ok" and letting the page load. She currently had eleven in her inbox, and opened a new window for her inbox, which showed headings of various e-mails.

The first was from Gar; strange. Raven clicked on the title, which read "I Love You" and instantly another screen popped up with a black background. At the bottom was a bar that indicated it was a loading video. Raven clicked on the window with the actual e-mail in it, and read aloud:

"Dear Raven,

I'm so sorry I snapped at you. I love you, and I hope you know that. I would do anything for you. Please don't be mad at me, I'm stupid, I'll admit it.

I had a little free time on my hands, and the Doom Patrol had hit a dead end. We needed a few more days for a clue to come up, so meanwhile I was writing this. I hope you enjoy it. It took a few hours to perfect it.

Love your one and hopefully only fiancee,

Garfield."

Raven pulled up the window with the video again to see it was fully loaded and waiting for her to press the play button. With a cocked eyebrow she did so, as Gar's green face appeared adjusting the camera. "Hey baby," he greeted with his heartwarming smile.

"Oh Gar," she breathed, though he could not hear her.

"I recorded this for you. When I come back it's going to be the first song on my debut CD. I hope you like it," he whispered, picking up his guitar and taking a chair. He set the instrument in his lap and began strumming the cords. After a few strums he stopped and re-tuned it. When the strums finally sounded right to him, he cleared his throat, and began.

"_Visit you in your room all the time to l__et you know that I am yours and you are mine. __We can take long walks through Jump City Park and h__old each other's hands to fight the dark_," he began singing, strumming the guitar to a fast-paced beat, his head bobbing, and, though she could not see it, his foot tapping.

Raven leaned forward, resting her face in her palms and sighing dreamily. He looked so into it when he did his thing. When he performed, alone or for a crowd, he was in his element.

"_So you know that you're never alone. __So you know that you're never a-alone_!"

He stood from his position, raising his foot in back of him to kick away the chair and assume a rockstar stance. His fingers began to look more and more intricate, strumming the guitar strings with what looked like ease. His green hair fell into his eyes, and he truly looked like a rock star. His blue-green eyes sparkled with the untamed passion of a freelance musician.

"_My Raven lies over the ocean, m__y Raven lies over the sea, and e__very night at 3 A.M. __I wonder why can't Raven lie next to_ _me_?"

He nimbly strummed the guitar with his specially made guitar pick, green with two golden B's on it.

"'_Member all the times Robin gave us a task? __You would kiss my cheek, I'd never haveta ask_," he continued singing. "_I went a-away in late September, b__ut here's a thanks for love I will always remember_."

He bobbed his head to the infectious music, his fang sticking out from his upturned lips. He began to sway slightly to his own tune. He seemed to be having fun performing in the empty room, which was rather lavishly decorated, with a door just behind him. It appeared to be a hotel.

"_So you know that you're never alone. __So you know that you're never a-alone_!"

He shouted at the end, breaking into a dance. It was a great mixture of both guitar-playing talent and superb dancing coordination. He looked down to his guitar to make sure his hands were positioned correctly, before looking back up and smiling at the Raven he could not see.

"_My Raven lies over the ocean, m__y Raven lies over the sea, a__nd every night at 3 A.M. __I wonder why can't Raven lie next to me_?"

He took one big strum of his guitar and closed his eyes, bobbing his head.

"_I hope you listen to me e__very night before you go to sleep a__nd know that someone in Paris _(A/N: as in Parie) i_s thinking of you, Ra-aa-vie_."

"_Ravie...__Ravie...__Ravie_," his whispers got softer and softer each time he repeated the nickname he had made for her several years back. Suddenly, his hand that had been strumming gently, broke out into large movements.

"_My Raven lies over the ocean, m__y Raven lies over the sea, and e__very night at 3 A.M. __I wonder why can't she lie next to me_?"

"_My Ra-aa-ven lies over the ocean! __My Raven lies over the sea! __Every night at 3 A.M__I wonder why can't she lie next to me_!"

He backed up so his full body was in view of the camera. He dropped to his knees and began playing like a hard-rock maniac. His eyes were closed, and again he seemed within his element. He smirked slightly as his eyes opened slowly. His strumming began to fade, but them came back in as he came for an encore of the chorus.

"_My Raven lies over the ocean!_

_My Rave_-!" but in the middle of his musings he was cut off, by the door behind him opening. He whipped around and saw Elasti-Girl, better known as Rita Starr, staring at him as if he had three heads.

"Hey Steve! I think I found the source of the noise!" she called out the door. "It's not a dying cat, though!"

Rita, who was smirking, and Garfield, who had his head turned from the camera so all you could see was his green hair, were sharing glances. "I thought you were good," she told him with a small chuckle. "Steve, though...well, we all know what he thinks good music is. Keep at it, ragamuffin."

She left, and Garfield turned back to the camera, blushing. "Uhh, well, I hope you liked it. I love ya, Rae."

And with that he came forward and shut off the video, ending the video Raven was currently watching.

Raven blinked a few times, as if challenging herself to if the video was actually real. She blinked a few more times before smiling softly to herself. It was real, because only her Gar would do that. She bit her lip to bate the smile from becoming something larger.

She then proceeded to check the rest of her mail.

**TT2**

Raven got dolled up for tonight. It was going to be her night. No more moping over Garfield, no more sitting at home with a tub of chocolate ice cream in her lap; oh no, she and her young unborn child were going to go to that hibachi and have fun like normal people. Kori and Richard couldn't be happier for Raven because of her new, positive outlook on the situation. You can't miss something if it's still there, and the space between the two would make their relationship even stronger.

Kori and Richard sat on the living room couch as they waited for Raven to finish getting ready. Kori was clad in a white skirt, a pink long-sleeved shirt, and a light pink vest over said shirt. She had on a nice pair of white strappy heels on her feet. Richard had complimented her the instant he saw her on how beautiful she looked.

So, currently, the black-pinstriped pants and white button-up wearing Richard had his arm around Kori, her body leaning into his and her legs pulled up onto the couch, as he flipped through channels.

"Can you not wait until our wedding a week from tomorrow?" Kori asked in her over-excited way. It was one of the many things Richard loved about her. He loved her excitement, her child-like humor, her innocence, her endearing charm, and how she can be all this and still manage to be such a..._vixen_.

"I can't wait," he affirmed with a small smile down at her. "Seems like everything has been going perfectly ever since you came back to us," he commented offhandedly. "I know I've repeated myself many times on this, but I still can't believe I'm so lucky as to have you back."

"I know, Richard. And I am not able to believe my luck as to have you as my fiancee," she whispered back, her eyes fluttering closed. She sighed softly. It was a while before either spoke, but it was Kori who broke the steady rhythmic hum of the television. "Poor Raven," Kori mumbled. "I could not imagine giving you up to have you fight once more."

Richard stroked her hair. "I wouldn't leave even if they paid me all the money in the world, Kor," he told her. "Nothing could make me leave you."

"And I will never leave you, Richard. I promised, and I will keep that promise for the rest of my life." She leaned up and kissed him.

It was then that Raven promptly entered. "Ready," she murmured. She was slightly nervous; it was the first time she would be going out in public since Gar had left. She figured publicity would have got word of Beast Boy (well, he now went under Changeling, but everyone knew they were one in the same) appearing again, and would be stalking Raven for every opportunity to blow the situation out of proportion.

Raven, clad in a shortblack dress and a deepblue casual jacket, with a pair of sandals, stood nervously at the entry of the room with her toe digging into the carpet. "It feels so weird to go out to dinner," she admitted as her two former teammates came around the sofa hand-in-hand. "It's the first time I'll ever have gone out to dinner without Garfield in almost three years."

"I am glad you have been so strong, dear Raven," Kori whispered to her as she left her love's side to come up to her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. "I would never have the courage to be as strong as you. For that, I admire you. You are a role model to me."

Raven blushed. "Thank you, Kori."

"It is none of the problem," Kori replied. Though she perfected most of her English (without use of contractions, which she stated felt too awkward for her to use) a lot of her uncommonly used phrases still needed tweaking.

"The phrase is 'No problem', Kor," Richard told her with a small chuckle. Her naivety would never get old, either. It was too adorable to get old.

"I am sorry," she stated in a cute voice, as apposed to a truly apologetic voice. "No problem, Raven," she modeled her sentence after Richard's instructions. "Earthly phrases still confuse me. It shall take me a while to get to know 'no problem'." She stressed the syllables as if they would help her remember.

Raven smiled. The two would never change; Richard always teaching her, Kori always willing to learn. And soon she was missing life in the tower as she was led towards Kori and Richard's garage. "Being a Titan must've been the best time of my life," she commented after a few silent moments. She opened the door and slid into the car. "I miss it. I truly do."

"As do I, dear Raven," Kori told her softly and sadly. "The rooftop, the training room, my own pink and purple room that reminded me so much of my home planet Tamaran. I find myself missing it all every single day. But that chapter of our lives is closed at the present time. We have passed it, sadly." Kori climbed into the front seat and Richard started up the car in the driver's seat.

"Sadly, that's true," he added. "But we can make this the best time of our lives, if we try." Richard opened the garage, pulled out, and closed it after him, "Whoops, I forgot to call Vic." Richard snatched his cell phone from his pocket before he pulled out of the driveway, and then handed it to Kori. "Would you mind calling Vic for me, Star?" Most people had pet names for their loved ones. Richard (though sometimes resorted to pet names) used Star. That was the only nickname he felt suited her. She shined like a star.

"No problem," she replied with a smile, happy about her own correct use of the English language. She dialed in his home phone number, and let it ring; once, twice, thrice.

**TT2**

Jenna called Vic much later that night, about six, after he had been invited to a hibachi dinner by Kori, Richard, and Raven. He was real excited, though it was the first time he would see Raven since Garfield left and he didn't know how she would act. Vic had just gotten out of the shower, even though the dinner wasn't for a little while later, but he felt disgusting from work and couldn't wait another minute to take a shower.

After he left the shower the phone began to ring. With only a bit of stumbling he tripped over a few articles of clothing in his slightly messy room and picked up his phone. "Hello?" he asked, pressing it onto his shoulder so he could pick out a suitable outfit for the evening.

"Vic?" a voice on the other end asked of him. "It's me. Look, would you mind if I came over? I want to talk to you real quick. I just want to clear things up about what happened today...things have been kind of crazy."

"Yea, sure babe, come on over. Look, all the Titans besides Garfield are all going to that Japanese Hibachi restaurant tonight, and I was hoping you would come," he explained, a hopeful smile on her face.

There was a little rustling on the other end and a soft sigh. "Vic..." There was a little more rustling and another sigh. "I'd love to." There was more rustling, and Vic could now tell it was a mass of papers. "I just have so much work to do, I didn't think it'd be the smartest thing, but I need to let loose a little. I'd love to come."

"Thanks, Jenna," he replied softly. "Come over and I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Ok," she mumbled, and then there was a soft click on the other line to signify she had hung up. Vic sighed, set the phone on his bureau, and rubbed his face with his large hand. Things were getting complicated, there was no doubting that, but he knew he cared so much for Jenna that it didn't matter what happened.

Victor sunk into his bed and cradled his head in his hands, before letting out a puff of air. He didn't know how to handle all of this: Jenna in the HIVE, Jake her son, the possibility of her rebellion being found out, and the fact that she could very well be killed for it. He had to help her, but how?

And then it hit him. His lips soon upturned as he figured out a way to keep her safe from them. Vic then sat up and walked towards his closet to pick out his clothing for the night, the smile never leaving his lips.

It was not too long before he was dressed in a nice pair of jeans and a baby blue button-up that complimented his broad torso. He rubbed his hand over the slight stubbly hairs that grew over his head and sighed. He wished he wasn't bald, it wasn't a flattering look for him.

His doorbell rang and her hopped up from the desk chair where he was sitting to answer it promptly. He was almost positive it was Jenna, since he didn't expect anyone else. He opened up the door, and in the frame stood Jenna, in a pair of nice black trousers and a lightgreen camisole with a lightgreen shrug over it. Her hair was straight and went down a little past her chest.

"Hey there," she greeted softly, clutching onto her clutch purse (excuse the pun). "We need to talk."

And most time, this was one of the most feared lines from one lover to the other. But Victor wasn't worried; he knew she just wanted to talk about what had transpired this morning. Jenna led him into the living room where she cautiously sat him down and began to talk with a silent breath. "I just wanted to tell you what happened this morning. I know it was kind of confusing, but I needed to get to Matty's house before, y'know, anything else could happen. You see, Matty is one of the guys also working for the HIVE, but as well he's talked about going against them. You could say he, Jake, and I are the little rebellious group. Well, I told Jake to go over there and stay with him for a little while this morning, and Jake called me right after he arrived. Matty was missing. So, naturally, I told you to leave and got over to Matty's house as fast as I could. We called his cell phone and he told us that he had run away, that he was sick of the HIVE, and that he needed to be his own person, a good person. The HIVE has no idea he's gone, but I'm assuming they will soon. That's why I couldn't tell you this morning; the HIVE has my house wired so they can hear what I'm saying."

Vic nodded. "I understand. I wasn't going to pry if you weren't willing to tell me," he told her honestly. "I was willing to wait until you were ready to open up."

"And that's why I love you," she responded softly, sitting forward to hug him tightly, before relinquishing him.

His cell-phone rang from inside his pocket and he eagerly scooped it out and pressed the small device to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hello Victor. We are on our way to the restaurant of Japanese so you might desire to leave your house soon," Kori's sweet and angelic voice said over the phone line. "That is ok?"

"Just peachy," he replied. "Hey Kor, is it ok with all of you guys if Jenna tags along too? I kinda invited her and I forgot to ask y'all if it was ok with you." He figured it would be; they liked Jenna now that she was 'good'.

"That is fine," she replied with a small chuckled. "The more the merrier, is it not?"

Vic smiled. "Yea, Kor. I'll see y'all in ten, ok?"

"Ok," she replied, remnants of the chuckle still breaking through her speech. "We shall see you soon. Goodbye."

Vic closed his cell phone and dropped it back into his pocket. He grabbed Jenna's hand and led her out of the living room and into the entryway where he grabbed his car keys from off of a small hook. "C'mon, Jenna, let's get going."

Fifteen minutes later they were in front of the restaurant, Vic tapping his foot impatiently, with one of his arms snaked around Jenna's waist. Jenna looked rather nervous, but had calmed herself for Vic's sake. Eevery two minutes she would take her cell-phone from her trouser pocket and look at the LCD screen on the front, before sighing and depositing it back into its original spot. "You ok? You seem a little distracted," he commented a few minutes later, rubbing her side comfortingly. "Anything you want to talk about?"

She sighed. "I lost track of Jake. He called me this afternoon and told me he wasn't coming home after I drove home and he was still at Matty's. I asked him where he was going, and he told me that he was going to hang with a friend. I made him promise he would call, because he said he was probably going to be home real late, but he still hasn't called. I'm getting worried. I don't want to call him, because I don't want him to think I don't trust him. It's just...I worry about him, y'know? He's really the only thing I had to care about for the past ten years of my life."

"I know, Jenna," he responded, looking out into the parking lot to see Richard's car pulling in. "I know you care about him, and I know you'd do anything for him, but sometimes he just needs ot be a teenager. Don't you remember feeling that way when you were young?" he asked, looking down at her as she bit her lip, thinking.

"Yea, I guess."

Vic smiled. "Good. Stop thinking about that. He'll be fine." And just as Vic said this, Richard, Kori, and Raven approached the couple, Kori and Richard walking close next to each other with a softly smiling Raven next to them. "Hey Kori, Richard," he greeted quickly, with a large grin to each of them. "Hey Raven," Vic greeted softly, enveloping her in a soft hug. "How you been holding up?" He had heard all about Garfield leaving and had been dying to comfort her. He felt awful.

"Just fine," she replied stiffly, hugging him back quickly. "I miss him, but I know he would never lie to me; he'll come back safely, I just know it." Raven's hand traveled to her slightly swelling stomach. "And then I can tell him the good news."

Vic smiled. "O' course you can, Rae." They all began inside, Jenna next to Vic who was next to Raven in front, with Kori and Richard bringing up the rear. "So how does being a mother sound to you? Exciting? You're gonna have a little boy or girl soon!"

Raven smiled. "Motherhood definitely sounds promising. I just-I guess I'm scared. If Gar doesn't come back within the next eight months, I don't know what I'll do without a daddy for little Skylar," she sighed.

"Skylar?" Richard asked.

"I've always wanted to name my first born Skylar, whether it's a boy or a girl," Raven told him, a slight smile on her face. "It was my best friend's name back when I lived in Azarath, back when I was a little child. He was my best friend until I had to flee and Azarath was destroyed. He didn't make it out alive." Raven sighed, still tracing her stomach as Vic talked to one of the employees so they could get a table.

"I am sorry, Raven," Kori spoke.

"That must've been horrible," Jenna mumbled. "I would've gone crazy if I were you."

"I never forgot, but I held up. After I found the Titans, I just kind of pushed it to the back of my mind. I never thought about it, so it never affected me. I guess I'm good at pushing down my feelings and forgetting my past," she ended in a whisper. Victor patted her back comfortingly as they all took seats at a large Hibachi table next to a very large window. They were looking out into the 'backyard' of the restaurant, which was beautifully sculpted with plants and a large pond with Koi and other brightly colored fish.

"It is lovely!" Kori gasped, clasping her hands in front of her and enjoying the sight. "Have you never seen anything more lovely than that adorable little pond?" she asked her soon-to-be-husband. He smiled at her child-like innocence and nodded his agreement.

Their orders were soon taken and the five fell into a light and eased chatter. For just an hour or two, they would forget about the pressures of being adults in the real world, and they would enjoy each other's company in this quaint little restaurant. For just a couple of hours, they would be utterly and completely carefree. It was not too often that they got to break loose and enjoy themselves such as this.

But, as they were enjoying their first course, some Onion Soup that came with all of their orders, Jenna's cell phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket and pressed the cellular device up to her ear. "Jake?" she immediately asked into it. Victor let down his spoon and turned to her to watch the conversation with a cocked head.

"Mom, I'm fine," he stated back into the phone on the other line. "I just need to tell you something."

Jenna furrowed her brow on the other line and encouraged him to continue. "What do you need to tell me?" Jake hesitated a few minutes before he finally let slip what he had been dying to tell her since he had seen her that morning. "WHAT?" Jenna yelled, though not loud enough to catch the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Instead, everyone at the table began staring at her. "You're with who?"

"Jenna, what's wrong?" Victor asked, stroking her hand in attempts to calm her. He could see she was angry, and from experience, witches are NOT agreeable when they are angry. "Is that Jake? What is he saying?"

Jenna put her hand over the speaker and leaned into Victor's ear. "He told me he's out with Clara. Y'know, Teen Titans Clara! I forbid him from seeing her, and he disobeyed my orders!" Jenna pulled back and pressed the phone to her ear once more, her hand slipping off the mouthpiece. "Jake!"

The other three Titans continued to watch, confused as ever.

"Vic, come on," Jenna whispered, tugging on his shirt to pull him out of his seat and bring him towards the door. Soon, they were both standing outside, Jenna with the phone still pressed against her ear as she watched Vic with confusion in her eyes. "I need your help!" she told him, exasperated. "What do I say?"

"I don't know! I've never had to deal with a child going out with one of the protectors of the city!" he responded, running a hand over his head. "I mean, why does it matter? What bad could come out of it?"

"I just don't want the HIVE to find out that he's getting serious about it. They could get caught on a tabloid or something, because you know the Titans are the hottest thing in this city. If they can get dirt on any of the Titans, especially the reclusive Gothic one, it will be all over the news! If the HIVE realizes this is getting serious, I don't know what they'll do!"

"What do you mean, 'getting serious'?" Vic asked, watching her with his head still cocked. "You mean they know about their relationship? Why wouldn't they do something about it in the first place?" He continued to spill off questions, until Jenna silenced him.

"Mom? Mom?" Jake called on the other line. "Talk to me!"

"Jake, look, I'll call you back," she replied, though she knew she probably wouldn't be able to. "Vic, look, I forbid Jake to go out with Clara because he's supposed to. The HIVE has been setting up relationships for years, only because relationships seem to be the one invincible thing that can produce trust. They set up a relationship between Clara and Jake, because they knew Clara had a rocky past with love. Jake is such a charmer they set it up so he would save her, then meet her, and toss around a few cliche lines to get her to trust him. But Jake is beginning to really love her. I don't want him to get in too deep in case the HIVE realizes he's in love with her," she blathered. "I guess he takes after his mother."

"Wait..." Vic trailed off. "What?" he was now very confused, because he had not heard a single word she had said.

"Clara and Jake's relationship is all a set-up, but Jake is really in love with her."

**TT2**


	27. A Date to Remember

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans are NOT mine.

**A/N**: Don't hav much of an A/N, except go check out my new story '**Don't** **Forget to** **Live**'.

**TT2**

**Thursday September 17, 2019**

Kimi let him fall fast asleep before she quietly stood and began out the door. She leaned against the wall just outside the door and softly began to cry. Tears fell down her cheeks, and she had no idea why she was crying. If she had to guess, she would say she were crying for Danny, for her best friend, for the boy that would be so through everything; even if they broke up. Kimi sniveled once and rested her fingers against her nose ot try and quiet herself, her other arm resting over her exposed abdomen.

"Kimi?" a gentle voice asked. Out of the shadows walked Sara, rubbing her eyes, frowning. "I heard some commotion and it took me a few minutes to wake up..." she trailed off. "Oh Kim, why are ya crying?"

Sara came forth and wrapped an arm around Kimi's shoulder, letting one of her new best friends cry into her shoulder. "Don't cry, Kim," Sara whispered. She was an expert at comforting her crying friends. Kimi pulled away and wrapped her arms around herself, her body shaking slightly, but not from the cold.

"C-Can you keep a secret?" Kimi asked. "I just-I need to tell someone and I need to know I can trust you with this. This is Danny, I love him, and I would never betray him."

"Of course. I can keep any secret," Sara replied, her head cocked to the left. "Spill."

Kimi sniffed. "When I was nine years-old, and Danny was almost ten, he told me a secret. He told me that his father was abusive, and they recently learned he had been having mental instabilities after his mother told him about Danny's powers."

Sara gasped lightly and again wrapped her arm around Kimi. "Kimi, it's ok, let it out."

Kimi turned to Sara and buried her head in her arm. "And then, one night when I was home with my mom, I thought I had heard something next door. We were next door neighbors, so naturally, I got worried about Danny. I told my mommy, and all of a sudden it began raining. I kept pestering my mom until she agreed to take me over there to show me nothing was wrong. Well, we went over." Kimi sniffed and then sobbed. "Oh it's horrible!"

Sara patted her shoulder as tears began to soak through her nightshirt. She grimaced, but for her friend's sake, dealt with it. "You can stop, Kimi. You don't have to finish."

"No, it's fine," she whispered. "Then, after my mom knocked a few times, she opened the door and began in. All the lights were on, but there was no movement inside. We ventured aorund a few of the rooms and..." in front of her eyes flashed a gruesome image. "...Danny, his mother, and his father were all lying there, on the ground. Danny had been scratched up, and had been shot-" she sobbed "-in the shoulder. His mother had been shot in the side. They were both still alive. His father had shot himself in the temple, and was already dead.."

Sara went rigid. "Oh dear...that's horrible!"

"I remember sobbing, clinging to my mother, burying my face in her skirt, and just telling her I wished it was a dream. She ordered me to go to our house, get under the covers, and stay there until she came to get me, but I refused. I sat in the den as my mom quickly called the police to try and save them. Fifteen minutes later, they were loading Danny onto a stretcher, with me at his side. His last words to me before they loaded him up were, 'Kimi, don't leave me...'," she told Sara. "I remember just smiling through my tears, telling him I could never do such a thing, and then looking at my watch. It was twelve 'o' one, and I remember this the most vividly. I leaned over and whispered 'happy birthday' in his ear."

"That's so morbid, yet so...I guess, romantic?" Sara suggested. "I never would've believed we all had such tragedy in our life before the Teen Titans. It's all so screwed up its like some sort of horror novel that we're living."

"I know," Kimi moaned, grief lacing her voice. "But I guess it's the tragedies that make us stronger in who we are."

**TT2**

**Friday September 18, 2019**

The next morning was a little tense. It was just an hour before training. Sara was on the couch, napping (she hadn't gotten to bed until almost two, but didn't feel like walking to her bedroom to sleep). Kyle was flipping through channels. Clara was still sleeping. Taku was making himself late breakfast. Kimi was typing furiously on her laptop.

"It's gonna be a slow day today," Kyle commented offhandedly. "Am I the only one that thinks so?"

Sara lazily raised her hand. "I think so too," she mumbled, then returning her hand to its position as her pillow. "Urgh! I can't get to sleep!"

"C'mere, you lazy, pathetic excuse for a superhero," Kyle reprimanded jokingly, opening his arm. She scrambled up and laid her head in his lap, thankful for the soft pillow, literally. He had been leaning over a pillow someone had left from their most recent movie night.

"Thank you," she chimed, letting her head sink into the pillow and purring contentedly. Kyle continued to flip through channels, but slowly and only after a few minutes did his fingers begin to rake through the tips of her hair.

The other teammates present noticed and began to giggle. Kyle made a rude remark involving a stick and their rear-ends. Clara sleepily stumbled into the room, poured herself a glass of orange juice, and then plopped down on the couch. "She's up before twelve, it's a miracle," Kyle snorted.

"He's touching Sara, it's NOT a miracle,"she retorted with a smirk, taking a large swig and effectively draining half the glass.

"Shut up you," was his near-effective response. Clara rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

"Shut up you,"she mimicked a few minutes later. He chose to be mature enough to stop the small altercation. "This is boring, I'm leaving," she announced, draining the remaining contents of her cup and floating it into the sink. "See y'all on the flip side,"she called back.

"Don't be late for training!" Kyle called to her. She snorted and let the door swish to a close behind her. She took three steps towards her room before a black mass sprung up from the floor and cut her off. Clara screamed and jumped back, falling on her rear-end.

"Clara?" Kyle called from the main room and a few seconds later he appeared out of the doorway. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing her on the floor. "And you screamed because...?"

"I thought I saw a mouse," she replied breathlessly, even though what she had just seen was definitely NOT a mouse.

"But Clare, you're not afraid of mice," Sara commented, appearing behind Kyle. Kyle's eyebrow went even farther up on his forehead.

"It just surprised me, that's all!" she snapped. "Can't I be scared of a rodent without getting the third degree? God!"

"Sorry," Sara retorted. "Just worried you might be dying or something."

In an angry huff she tugged on Kyle's sleeve and pulled him back into the living room. Clara sighed in relief and softly whispered, "Jake? Jake, come out, she's gone".

The black mass appeared again and took the form of Black Baron. He grasped at the top of his head and easily pulled off his mask to reveal his sparkling black-green eyes and his thin-lipped smile. "Hi," he greeted, before he came forward and hugged her tenderly.

"You almost got me in trouble," she mumbled into his ear. "You do that again and I might just have to never talk to you again."

"You know you couldn't do that," he teased back.

Clara pulled away and took his wrist. "C'mon, before we have another close call." She led him down the hallway and towards a secluded room, but as she rounded the corner she ran into Danny, who stumbled back but kept his balance. "Sorry, Clare, I-" but he cut himself off upon seeing Baron in her wake. "Hello," Danny greeted curtly.

"Oh shit," Jake cursed, and turned to run but Clara still had a hold on his wrist.

"He knows," she told him, pulling him back so he was close to her. "And Danny, thank you so much for keeping our little secret. It means so much to me."

"And don't hesitate to think that I won't kick your ass if you hurt her," Danny threatened. "Just so you know."

"If you knew me-the real me-you'd know I'd never hurt Clara," Jake retorted, venom in his voice, as he pushed her behind him and began to stare Danny down. "So much for your kicking my ass plan."

Danny's lip twitched and for a second Clara thought he was going to hit him, but his shoulders dropped and with one last glare he swept by Jake, intentionally bumping his shoulder as he went. Clara let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding, before tugging his wrist to pull him out of his stupor. "Look, we have training in a little while, so I have to go. I suppose there's a reason you've come to see me?"

"Yea, I've kind of got a free night tonight, so I was wondering if you'd like to go out. Like, on a real date. Dinner, a movie, maybe clubbing, I don't know. I haven't figured out the details yet,"he responded with his adorable smile.

"I'd love to," Clara responded, smiling back.

He positively beamed. "Ok, so be ready around seven, I'll pick you up downstairs in the driveway. I'll be waiting."

"Pick me up?" Clara asked.

"Yea, just wait. I'm sure you'll be surprised," he responded. Jake kissed her softly, before, with one last smile, he disappeared into the floor. Clara bit her lip to bate her large grin, but couldn't hold it, and let it spread across her face.

She began walking down the hall towards her room, and just before she rounded the corner, she jumped into the air and let out an exclamation of her exuberance.

**TT2**

It was hours later when finally five-thirty rolled around. Clara couldn't wait any longer and began getting ready then. She took a shower in the bathroom connected to her room, and with the towel wrapped securely around her body, she walked across the hall to her sister's room. She knocked a few times, and her sister called for her to enter.

Clara did as was expected of her and saw her sister sitting at her window, watching the sky. It was nearing sunset, not quite there yet, but maybe an hour or two. "Isn't it so pretty?" Sara asked, before turning to her sister. "What can I do for ya?"

"I-er-I need help getting ready," Clara told her. "I'm going out tonight with a few friends of mine, and I want to look nice because they're setting me up with one of the new kids this year." That was the lie she had worked out in case anyone got suspicious.

"Aw, Clara!" Sara exclaimed. "That's so cute. C'mon." Sara stood and ushered her sister back into her own room. "I've got the perfect idea..."

Clara had dyed her hair black over the pieces of pink and dyed the tips of her hair purple that morning. Though she had been fond of the black and pink it clashed with too much of her clothing. Instead she chose a dark purple like Raven's on her tips, except the color was a little less subtle. Sara sat her sister down on her vanity stool and inspected the wide variety of her dark make-up.

"Well, we need to choose the outfit first, because make-up revolves around the outfit," Sara told her. "And don't worry, I'll make it something your style."

Sara wandered into Clara's walk-in closet and within minutes had emerged carrying massive amounts of purple and black. She dropped all of this onto Clara's bed. "Seekra La Tenoir Cope Ferta," Sara announced, waving her hand. The clothes sprang to life and clothed a three-dimensional holographic Clara that Sara had produced.

Clara stood form her vanity and inspected the model. "I have small hips," she noted. "Never noticed that."

Sara rolled her eyes. "The outfit?"

It was very simple, yet very elegant in a dark way. It was comprised of an off-the-shoulder fishnet top over a black thick-strapped tank top (both bared just enough midriff so you could see her dangling amethyst belly button piercing), a black pleated skirt with sections of purple plaid, purple and black fishnet stockings, and her glossy high-heeled black boots that came just below her knees.

"Couldn't have picked it better myself," Clara told her counterpart. "He'll love it."

"I'm sure he will," Sara responded with a satisfied smile. She then performed a spell so Clara's towel was replaced with the clothes on the holographic model, and the model dissipated. "No one can resist the color purple on a woman. It's a pleasing color to the eye," Sara stated confidently.

Since Clara's shower had taken twenty minutes, it was now six. One more hour to go.

Sara sat Clara down on her vanity stool again and, opting to do things the old-fashioned way (for them), plugged in the blow-dryer. Clara let her hair down from it's turban and Sara brushed all the small knots out of it. It was mere moments before the blow-dryer was going and it was another ten or fifteen minutes before her hair was expertly dried. Sara took a straight iron and let it heat up before perfectly straightening every piece of hair on Clara's head. Sara then pulled back her hair into a half-ponytail and tied it with a slim purple ribbon.

"Doesn't your hair look amazing?" Sara asked a while later so it was now 6:30.

"It does," Clara agreed with a small smile. Sara beamed back.

"Make-up, then jewelry, then we're done!" Sara announced. Sara grabbed massive amounts of make-up, and began working on Clara's face. She brushed on lights amount of pink blush, and lined her eyelids with black eyeliner. After this, she filled her tops lids with a light lavender color. After applying clear gloss she ordered Clara to smack her lips together to even it out. Her face looked perfect; not overly made-up, yet not too dull and bare.

"Now onto the jewelry!" Clara's twin announced, grabbing Clara's jewelry box and peering eagerly inside. Clara had numerous cartilage piercings that were silver studs, but Sara just left them in. Instead of putting in earrings, Sara took out a small amethyst gem on a silver chain and hooked it around her neck. She took out a pair of black gloves that stopped at the first joint on each finger, and let Clara slip them on.

Sara stood and let Clara observe herself in the mirror. "I look great. Couldn't have done it better myself." Clara hugged her sister tight. "Would you mind grabbing that black and purple purse over there and putting my stuff in it while I go brush my teeth?"

Sara nodded in compliance and drew up a purse with necessities: make-up, her cell-phone, her communicator, a compact, breath mints, and other such things. Clara quickly brushed her teeth and slung the purse over her shoulder. "How do I look?" she asked her counterpart.

"Amazing. The guy will drop dead and then thank the heavens for a date so hot," Sara assured her. "But, just for reassurance, let's put this to the test..."

Clara smirked as she let the living room door glide open before she began sauntering inside. "Who goes there?" Taku asked. Neither of the two boys playing video games, sitting on the couch, bothered to turn.

"It's me," Clara replied, her smirk ever-present on her face. Oh, this would be fun. "Hey boys, whatcha doing?" she asked innocently as she traced the back edge of the couch with her delicate, black-painter fingers.

"Playing SSX Tricky," Kyle replied, then shifting his body to the left and eagerly pressing on the control pad. Has anyone ever bothered to notice that when guys play a video game that involves steering, they turn their body the same way in hopes that it'll help them? Maybe it was just Clara, but she could've been sure this was true.

Clara flew over the couch and sat in between Kyle and Taku. Danny was nowhere to be seen.

"Whoa," Taku started, as he finally bothered to look at Clara. In turn, his player crashed into Kyle's. Perturbed, Kyle turned to look at Taku but caught sight of Clara. "Why are you all dolled up tonight, dollface?" Taku asked.

"Going out," she responded airily. "I'm going clubbing."

"And why aren't you taking the Titans with you?" Kyle asked with a small pout.

"It's my night to let loose...without Titans," she replied, with a small smirk. "Besides, you don't want to see me when I let loose. A little to crazy for the dear Titans. I couldn't scar them for life like that."

"I wouldn't mind," Taku replied eagerly.

Clara looked to her watch. It was six fifty-three. "Well, I gotta go. My friend is picking me up and he doesn't like it when I'm late."

"He?" Kyle asked skeptically.

"Yes, he," Clara responded. "Gosh, you make it sound like I have no guy friends!" With that she stood and confidently sauntered out of the room, the boys left staring after her. Sara was there, listening to every word, with a cocky smile on her face.

"My work here is done," Sara stated with pride in her voice. She smacked her sister's shoulder. "Got get 'em, tiger!"

"Oh, I sure will," Clara responded saucily, before bounding towards the driveway.

Clara wasted no time in getting down to the driveway. It was only six fifty-seven. Four minutes before he was late. Not that Clara cared. It's not like he couldn't be late. Being fashionably late was cool. Yea, so if he was late is was ok. Because it was fashionable.

Did I fail to mention Clara rambles when she's nervous?

She tapped the heel of her boot on the pavement and gripped the handle of her purse. "Why am I so nervous?" she asked herself. "It's just Jake, and we're just going on our first real date, It's not scary at all. It's cool. It'll be the best night of your life."

Clara sighed and blushed, even though there was nothing to blush about. She was nervous, and that was the plain and simple truth.

She checked her cell-phone. It was seven on the dot. And the roaring in her ears was getting louder. Wait, your ears didn't roar when you were nervous. Ears, actually, didn't roar at all. Clara furrowed her brow and turned around to see a black, red, and blue motorcycle roaring up the driveway, it's rider wearing a black helmet, a black leather jacket, a black band tee-shirt, and washed jeans hanging lower than his hips and exposing his boxers, even though it was belted with a shining stud belt.

He parked his motorcycle, took off his helmet, and revealed his perfectly gelled hair. Clara smiled, before running and jumping into his arms. "You look sexy," she whispered into his ear. He kissed her ear and she giggled lightly, something very unlike her.

"And you look be-a-utiful," he told her, pulling back and looking her over. "Not sexy, beautiful."

She smiled up at him, before kissing him on the lips. "So what's on the agenda tonight?" she asked him, resting her hands over his chest, her fingers playing with the soft material of his jacket. "Dinner, movie, dancing?" she began.

"I was thinking we could get some dinner, then go to a concert where my best friend is playing. I was hoping you'd like him cuz I promise I'd make an appearance for him tonight, and I forgot when I made our date," he told her, his hands coming up to rest over hers.

"Sounds great," she replied with a smile.

He smiled in return.

Jake grabbed a helmet and offered it to Clara. She took it gratefully and slipped it cautiously over her head, not wishing to ruin her hair. Jake took the other and slipped it over his own head, before inviting Clara to climb on in back. She did so and wrapped her arms around his waist, before he revved up the motorcycle and took off at full speed.

She squealed in delight as he raced through the roads of Jump City. "I hope pizza's ok with you," he called back.

"Of course!" she yelled over the roaring winds. "I've been dying for pizza all day!"

He took a sharp turn and within a few minutes was parking outside the Pizza Place. The couple removed their helmets and rested them on the seat of the motorcycle. Hand in hand, they began towards the entrance. Jake requested a balcony table, and they were led outside.

As they looked over their menus, across the table from one another, Jake set his down and began watching her intently. Their eyes made contact and she noticed that he had been watching her. "Is there a reason you're staring at me?" she asked with a blush.

"No, just watching you," he replied in an innocent voice, batting his eyelashes at her.

She pushed a lock of onyx hair behind her ear. "Why thank you. I've never had someone obsessively watch over me like that before. It's quite flattering," she joked. He smiled in response, and they said no more.

The waitress came and took their orders, two slices of vegetarian for Clara and two slices of sausage for Jake. "You're a vegetarian?" Jake asked, intrigued.

"Yea, ever since I was little," Clara told him. "I'm not a vegan, because I hate soy milk, but I'm a strict vegetarian."

"That's cool," he replied. "I don't think I've ever met a vegetarian before. All my friends are the biggest carnivores."

Clara let out an enchanting laugh. "I know a few people like that. No one believes I can be a vegetarian, but I am." She shrugged. The waitress came back with their drinks and their slices of pizza (they were pre-made, so service was fast).

They ate with a little conversation and as soon as they were done Jake paid and they began on their way once more. "You know the community center, right?" Jake asked Clara as they began towards his motorcycle. Clara nodded. "That's where the concert is, just so you know. They play there a lot. The band is Cosmic." He opened up his leather jacket to reveal the tight shirt under neath, that had a logo and 'Cosmic' written underneath "My friend Adam gave me this shirt for free cause I promote his band so much. I'm like his little groupie, with less sex."

Clara chuckled, giving him a short kiss before they both donned the helmets once more and began on their way, Clara's head buried in his pronounced shoulder blade. He smiled to himself as she did so.

They pulled up to a dark building pounding with rock music and shining with bright neon lights. Jake helped Clara off of the motorcycle and carefully took the helmet off of her head, before kissing her forehead. She chuckled. "Thank you," she murmured, watching as he rested both helmets on the seat of his motorcycle. Jake took her waist and began to lead her inside.

Clara surveyed her surroundings. As she entered there was a counter, and beyond that there were some pool tables, a few torn up couches and arm chairs, a stage, and a dance floor. A band was already playing, and by the way Jake waved to the lead singer Clara assumed it was Cosmic.

"C'mon," he whispered in her ear, after he paid for both of them, leading her towards the stage. There was a large crowd of young people already there, clapping their hands in tune to the music, shouting out the lyrics. Clara bopped her head. This music was pretty good for an undiscovered band.

Jake and Clara moved towards the front of the crowd so the lead singer could just barely slap his fingertips from his spot on stage, while he was still singing. After a few notes, the song was over, and the lead singer began speaking into the microphone. "And I'm glad to see Jake Jinks' sorry ass here tonight,"he joked.

"Fuck you, man!" Jake called back over the din of the crowd.

"What was that?" the guy faked, cupping his ear with his hand. "What'd you say? Fuck me? Hey Arabella, I'm sure you'd like to fuck me!" The guy pointed to a girl in the back, who was now stringing profanities, blushing, and slightly agreeing.

"Shut up!" Jake yelled.

The guy took Jake's hand and pulled him up on stage, clapping his shoulder and giving him a brotherly hug. "C'mon, y'all, give it up for Jakey Poo, who seems to have bagged himself a lady! We all know how bad he is with that!"

The crowd yelled their agreement. "Who needs you?" Jake asked into the microphone.. "Whatevs."

Clara smiled up at him. Jake smiled back down at her, jumping off the stage to join her side once more. "We're taking five until our next song. Jake and I need to catch up and I need to meet this lovely lady that's way too pretty for him," the guy joked into the microphone, before swinging his guitar to his side, pulling it over his head, and setting it in its stand. He jumped down from the stage, and as it quieted, came up to Jake and Clara.

"Hey Boy-o," Jake greeted. "This pretty lady you're referring to happens to be my date tonight, so lay offa her. I know how you like to try and get it on with everything female on two legs."

He smiled. "Don't listen to Jake. I'm a nice guy, really! Anyways, I'm Adam. Lead singer and guitarist for Cosmic. And, unfortunately, Jake's best friend."

Jake punched him in the arm. "Hey man!"

Clara smiled. "Nice to meet you Adam, I'm Clara." They quickly hugged, and Clara returned back to her position leaning into Jake's body with his arms around her waist. "I've heard so much about you."

"Really?" Adam asked, surprised.

"No," Clara responded with a joking smile.

Adam feigned hurt and laid a hand over his heart. "That hurt."

"What can I say? I'm a heartbreaker," Clara kidded, shooting him a friendly smile. Adam smiled back, leaning his weight on one leg and crossing his arms over his chest.

"You look familiar," Adam told her, surveying her. "I cant put my finger on it, but I've seen you somewhere." He continued to think, looking her over, trying to remember. "Oh well, maybe it'll come to me eventually. Jake knows how bad I am with remembering things." He shook his blonde hair from his head. "It's the hair. Makes me stupid."

Jake and Clara chuckled. Clara knew the blonde superstition wasn't true, for her sister was very clever, but said nothing. Adam said quick goodbyes and jumped back on stage, gathering up the other three members of the band and beginning to get things rolling again. "This song's for the one who finally decided to show," Adam joked, beginning a tune. The drummer clicked one drumstick against another, as Adam counted them off; "One two three four!"

"How old is Adam?" Clara asked.

"Sixteen, my age," he told her.

"Cool," she responded. "He seems older...like seventeen, I suppose. Anyways, you know I'm turning sixteen on December second, right?"

"Of course, I'd never forget you're birthday," he told her. "Duh."

Clara chuckled softly. "Well, we're planning on just having a big party at the tower. I'm trying to think of ways to invite you without too much suspicion arising." Soon, Clara's voice was drowned out by the music and they just began dancing along. Jake was actually singing along, too!

It was much dancing, a few photo ops by the community center workers, and many pounding songs later that Adam's band was done and there would be about twenty minutes until the next one. Adam packed up his guitar and put all of his things in his car (a slightly dented but otherwise very sleek silver Mitzubishi) before coming back to hang out with Jake and Clara. Jake was sitting on one of the couches, Clara on his lap and leaning into his body, playing with his hair. Adam plopped back onto the couch and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

"I'm wiped!" he exclaimed, but neither of the two next to him noticed. He sighed. "I didn't want to have to do this, but you two are too sickening." He stood, and before she knew what hit her, Clara was slung over Adam's shoulder, dazed, looking back at a surprised Jake.

"Jake!" she squealed, beating on Adam's back. "Lemme go!"

"No! Y'all are too sickening, I have to separate you somehow!" Adam retorted. Clara would have resorted to using her magic, but didn't wish to draw attention to herself.

"Adam! Let her go!" Jake called as he ran to catch up. Adam laughed as he set Clara down. She huffed and rolled her eyes at him but smiled either way. "You remind me of a guy I know. Such a childish sense of humor."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Adam replied, as Jake caught up and glared at Adam.

"We were in the middle of something, thank you very much!" Jake exclaimed.

"Yea, a make-out session!"

Clara blushed.

"Adam..." Jake trailed off. "Don't make me tell Arabelle what you told me last weekend," he smiled as the words left his lips in a taunting manner. "She'd absolutely die to hear it, don't you think?" Jake asked in his very creepy way of being tantalizing.

"Hell no! She'd slit my throat if she heard that!" he gasped. "Man, please don't! I'll do anything!"

Jake laughed. "Hah, man, you're begging. That's sad."

"Oh go-" Adam refrained himself before grabbing his best friend's head and giving him a noogie. "Who's got who begging now? Go ahead, beg for me to stop! You know you don't want me mussing up your perfect hair! Go ahead, beg!"

"Man, quit it!" Jake called. "Clara, help me out here!"

Clara smirked and hesitated before walking over and taking Adam's arm. That'll be enough, children," she scolded them playfully. "You don't want me to have to give you a time-out, eh?" Clara asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I'd like to see one of your time-outs," Adam murmured suggestively, and Jake whacked him in the back of the head.

"That's my girl you're talking about," Jake told him threateningly, before going over to Clara and picking her up bridal style. "I'm taking her away from you before you can steal her from me."

"No one can steal me from you," Clara chuckled, kissing him on the lips.

It was a good while before Clara and Jake were finally on the way home. She was behind him on his motorcycle, her eyes fluttering closed as she nearly fell asleep on his shoulder. He got off once they were back at the Tower and gently shook her awake. She opened her eyes and smacked her lips, before looking up at him. "Did I fall asleep?" she asked dazedly.

"Yea," he replied smiling. "Kind of cute, really, but I need to get you home sometime."

Clara smirked. "Are you sure about that one? I'm sure no one would worry bout lil ol me." She climbed off and removed the helmet, placing it on the seat and looking up to him. "I had a great time. Thanks for that. We should do it more often."

"We should," he whispered back, leaning down to kiss her softly. After, he embraced her tightly and kissed her again. "Really. That was one of the best nights I've had in a long time."

And he wasn't lying.

"Same here."

And neither was she.

They kissed once more before he let Clara wander towards the front door. She watched him drive away, before she opened up the door and let herself inside. She leaned against the door for a few minutes, sighing contentedly, before beginning towards the living room to get a glass of water before bed. But when she entered the living room, she found she wasn't alone. Sara was sitting on the couch, watching a movie, her eyes half-lidded.

"Where have you been?" she asked her counterpart.

"I was out," was Clara's airy response.

"For-" Sara checked her watch "-six hours?"

"Yea, you got a problem?" Clara asked, pouring herself a glass of water.

"I worried. You know I worry. Why didn't you call?" Sara asked, standing up and facing her sister with a stony expression set in her features.

"I forgot, and my cell-phone and communicator died," Clara responded. "I've been home later, it's really no big deal," Clara told her. "I'm fine, aren't I?"

"I didn't know where you were! I panicked! I almost sent the other Titans out looking for you! Y'know, Mooney's mom got kidnapped and you weren't there to help me when we needed to do a mental relocation! I couldn't get to you! Now it won't be possible for us to find her exact location because we ran out of time!" Her voice was rising, and had before now been monotone. It was now gaining feeling. "I got worried. I was worried that you were lying in a dumpster somewhere!"

"I can take care of myself, you know! I'm fifteen, in case you haven't noticed!" Clara replied in a heated voice.

"Yes, but you can be naive sometimes! You let your guard down sometimes! I didn't know where you were and no one else did! I didn't want you to get hurt!" Sara told her slightly younger sister, her voice scratchy and laced with misery.

"Sara..." Clara started, and couldn't stop what she was about to say next even if she tried. "Stop trying to be like mom! I know you worry about me, but you will never fill her shoes! Stop trying to be her and just be a normal fifteen-year old for once! Stop trying to fill the void that she left when she died!"

Sara's eyes sprang with tears. "I just care about you, Clare. I love you."

Clara immediately felt bad and came forward to envelope her sister in a hug. "I'm sorry Sara, it's just you need to stop worrying about me. Worry about yourself. You're the one that needs taking care of, not me. I can take care of myself. Worry about your own problems, babe."

Clara hugged her sister tight and then let go, pulling back to look into her tired eyes. "Ok?"

"Ok," Sara breathed in a reply, wiping her eyes. Clara smiled softly.

"C'mon, let's get to bed."

Clara took her sister's hand and they began the trek to their adjacent bedrooms.

**TT2**


	28. A Nice Night Won't Do

**A/N**: Yea. Not much of an A/N. Hope you like the chapter. Go check out my new story, Don't Forget to Live. I'm updating it now!

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans not mine.

**TT2**

Victor didn't know what to say. He looked at her as if she had three heads for a moment before he could finally choke out, "Really? The HIVE, they...they're planning to get something out of that relationship?"

"Yea...they want to get him to...I don't know, I suppose for him to get some information about the Titans from her once they get close enough. I never really knew the plan. All I knew is that he went into that thinking he'd come out with another notch on his belt, even though she's like a year or two younger than him and supposedly unattracted to the opposite sex. Then, a day or two ago, he told me he was feeling different about this, Clara was starting to grow on him. He said he reminds him of someone from his old life. I just don't know what to do! I want the best for him, but I don't want him to get himself into trouble."

Vic sighed, rubbing his face with one of his hands. "Look, just let him be a teenager," he started, looking to her with doleful eyes. "Let him be a teenager, and go out with girls, and do his little dating thing. Just tell him to make sure he's careful. We don't want this going public. Just make sure he knows what he's getting himself into before he goes all out and starts partying like a maniac."

"I know," Jenna replied in a whisper. "C'mon, let's go back inside before they think we've run off." She put her cell phone back into her pocket and pulled on his hand to bring him back inside. It was relatively loud in the restaurant, and Victor looked over to their table to see the Chef was already preparing to serve their dinner.

"C'mon," he started, pulling her so they could get back to their seats quickly. When the two sat down, all of the three other occupants at the table began to stare at them as if they both were not of this world. "Long story," Vic told them, and they resumed what they had been previously been doing.

Kori raised her eyebrows but said nothing. Vic brushed it off with a wave of his hand and turned to Jenna. "It'll be ok now?" he asked, as she took out her cell-phone and pressed it to her ear. It seemed Jake had called again.

"Hopefully," she replied in a whisper. "Look, Jake, I've worked this out...er...in my head," she told her son, not willing to admit she had confided in the man she was not supposed to love, even though her son knew she did. "You can see her, just make sure you don't draw attention to yourselves. You need to-"

But suddenly Jenna jerked the phone away from her ear and held it at an arm's length since Jake had screamed, "ADAM, YOU GET BACK HERE WITH MY GIRLFRIEND, YOU LITTLE-". He cut himself off so his mother didn't have to hear his foul language.

"I said DON'T draw attention to yourselves!" Jenna hissed to him as the chef began to fire up the Hibachi and prepare their orders.

"Well what would you do if your best friend just slung your girlfriend over his shoulder, AGAIN?" Jake asked, putting emphasis on the word 'again'. "He didn't just do that once, tonight, y'know! I'm starting to think he has a thing for her!"

Jenna chuckled. "Are you insinuating I'm a lesbian and actually have a girlfriend? I'm sure Vic would detest to that!"

"You don't really love Vic!" Jake retorted.

"I do too! You know what we talked about a few nights back," she reminded him. "Look, now remember, don't draw attention!" she hissed, so none of the other Titans could hear besides Vic if he had something to add. He just watched her, trying to think of anything to help her. "You better be home at a reasonable time tonight. I got worried sick when you went out last Saturday and didn't come back until eleven!"

"Eleven? That doesn't sound too unreasonable..." Vic trailed off, his head cocked to one side.

"Eleven the next morning," she deadpanned. "Was out partying with his little friends."

Vic let out a soft "Oh".

"Mom, I promise I'll be fine," Jake told her, his voice going soft. "I love you, Jenna."

"I love you too, Jake. Take care."

"Right back at ya. Pinky."

"Bye."

And she hung up her phone, and deposited back in her pocket just as the grill in front of her caught fire and the chef amazed them with his skill with cutlery. "He'll be fine, hopefully," Jenna told Vic. "I don't want things to go haywire."

"They shouldn't. He's old, he can take care of himself," Vic responded in a low whisper.

It was a while until they were all served their dinners and they fell into a humbled light chatter once more. Kori and Richard were enjoying themselves, Raven was chatting with Jenna and Vic, and the overall mood was bright and cheery.

But that just wouldn't do, would it?

Because suddenly there was a great BLAST! And with that, the whole restaurant shook. Kori screamed, as did many other people in the restaurant, while Jenna squealed, Richard jump, Vic looked wildly about, and Raven seemed undisturbed but visibly alert. Everyone looked aorund as all fell silent. It was calm once more.

BLAST!

The restaurant shook with even more tremendous force this time and many people fell over in their chairs. The rumbling continued even after the blast was heard, and suddenly there was a large hole in the glass behind them as the blast was at its loudest, and Kori and Richard were sent across the room into the opposite wall.

"Holy shit!" they heard someone curse in the background and mother nearby covered her daughters' ears.

"Kori! Richard! Are you ok?" Raven called frantically through the clearing rubble of wall and glass. A piece of glass had flown out and hit her leg, but she barely noticed the pain as she stumbled to get towards her fallen friends. A piece of glass had struck Cyborg's head, but it was near the reinforced steel part of his skull so it merely bounced off and onto the floor. Jenna was lucky enough to have not been hurt.

"Help! Oh help!" a woman cried. "My husband! He's been struck by glass!"

Many people rushed over to help, including a man who was dressed in a blue suit resembling a doctor's. Raven, Cyborg, and Jenna all ran through the dust and rubble to get to Kori and Richard. Raven coughed, reaching blindly to slide an arm under Kori's shoulders and help her up. Cyborg picked Richard up and set him in a chair.

The dust cleared.

It was revealed that Kori had a piece of glass stuck well into her abdomen. She barely noticed until Raven gasped and pointed downwards. "Oh," was all she said, before taking the triangular piece and ripping it out with brute force. There was blood covering it an inch in.

"Kori, you need medical attention!" Raven gasped.

"As do you!" she retorted, leaning over to gently pry the glass out of Raven's leg. She winced, but besides that did nothing. It was not nearly as deep as Kori's had been. "Where is Richard? Richard!" she called hysterically to see an upturned table separated them.

"Kori!" he called to her as he jumped up from his seat and hopped over the table to her. "Are you ok?"

"I am fine!" she replied, her arm covering the gash in her stomach, which was beginning to bleed green. "It was a mere scrape."

"Kori, your blood is green! You're not fine!" Richard argued.

"Richard, I am ok! Pure Tamaranian blood is green. There is no need to worry!" she argued back to him, resting her hand on the side of his face and brushing away stray locks of ivory hair. "You are ok, yes?"

"I'm fine. A little bump on the head, but I'm fine," he told her, taking her hand and kissing it.

Suddenly, there was another tremendous blast and the wall they were closest to exploded, sending chunks of plaster everywhere. All of the five friends were blown back, only a few feet, as they watched with horror to see nothing was there. "What is happening?" Kori asked frantically, as Jenna cried in the background that her arm was in immense pain. Vic immediately began tending to her, ignoring the pain in his ribs. "Who is doing such terrible things to us?" Kori cried.

"I don't know, Kor," he told her, looking about. "Hey...where's Raven? VIC! Raven's gone!"

He looked about the rubble and saw nothing. Vic calmed him by saying she was near him, but she had passed out from the blood loss in the gash in her leg. Vic had managed to stop it by ripping a piece of table cloth and wrapping it around her leg. "I think her leg might be broken! She needs medical attention now!"

And then the timeless phrase rung through the air. "Titans, GO!"

Suddenly, Kori's vision was clouded with blonde and she looked up to see her daughter's boyfriend in front of her. "Miss Anders, I'm here to help," he started in a rushed tone, producing water like a glove over his hand and pressing the glowing hand to her stomach. Within seconds the gash was only a mere thin scar.

"Thank you, much, Danny," Kori whispered, kissing the top of his head in thanks. "Now, go fight with your team."

He smiled and nodded, leaving the current room to fight something unknown. Richard tensed and looked as if he was about to fight himself, but Kori stopped him with a hand on his wrist. "Do not," she urged. "I am sure they can handle it by themselves." She rested her other hand on her head. "Oh Richard, I am woozy," she whispered to him, her eyelids drooping slightly.

"Kori? Oh Kori, please don't pass out." He kneeled in front of her, tapping her cheek as her head lolled onto her shoulder. "Kori, come on, it's ok. The pain is fine, please just don't pass out on me." Richard was confused; if her stomach was healed, she shouldn't be feeling the pain and there was no reason for her to pass out. He looked over her body to see if she was cut anywhere else, and saw a thin trail of blood on her head. She had hit her head on the wall, and it was now taking affect.

"Richard..." was the last thing she spoke before consciousness left her and she passed out fully.

"Vic! Vic!" Richard called. "Vic, help me! Kori's passed out!"

But then, a large black figure appeared in the hole that had recently been blasted in the wall. "Kori Anders!" it pronounced loudly and clearly, and it's gaze darted directly to her. The black figure was entirely clad in back, with no eye-holes, no mouth -holes, or anything. It was merely a black cloth that consumed its entire body.

Richard leaned over and wrapped her in his arms, protecting her. "What do you want with her?" he barked.

"I don't want anything with her!" the figure called back, and with a speed not expected the figure darted forward, took her from his arms, and began running off with her over their shoulder. Kori dangled uselessly from his back, her weightlessness and unconsciousness two advantages to him at the moment.

Richard was up and after her in a millisecond. He ran after the figure, being just a tad faster, and tried to grab her, but he took a sharp turn out of the hole that had been blasted in the glass and began down an empty alleyway. "Titans, BACK-UP!" he yelled to the five fighting teenagers and Kimi and Sara began to follow. They had been fighting a mass of the same black figures that captured Kori.

"Mom!" Kimi screamed.

Kimi fired starbolt after starbolt, but they affected him naught. Her countenance soon turned angry and she produced two large starbolts. She shot them at the figure, but his back just absorbed it as if nothing had happened. Sara was beside her, thinking of every spell, but he either absorbed them or dodged them.

Suddenly, a police officer that had been dining in the restaurant skid out of one of the many holes in the wall, a gun cocked in his hand, right before the black figure.

"STOP!" he commanded. The figure stopped and turned for a split-second, and that gave the officer time to aim so he wouldn't hurt Kori. He pulled the trigger, so the bullet cut the skin just below his left pectoral, but nothing happened. The figure just stood there, as if he was not hurt, and then began running once more. No one cared to notice that his black shirt was beginning to lightly stain green.

"Stop that man!" Richard yelled as he recovered from the shock, running onto a crowded city street. Many people tried to help somehow, but all failed.

Kimi had flown ahead, claiming she had devised a plan with Sara. As Richard was left trying to run to catch up with him. He had figured it would be much easier since the man had a full-grown woman slung across his shoulder. Suddenly, the kidnapper stopped short.

"Clara, now!" Kimi yelled as they both stood on the sidewalk, their energy working. Kimi pulled up half of a shield with swirling blue energy and Sara pulled up the other half with swirling white-yellow energy. The man but stuck out his hand, absorbed the energy in his palm so he seemed recharged, and began running faster than he was before. Richard stopped when he reached his daughter and the young Titan.

"He's not human, dad," Kimi breathed. "C'mon."

Kimi grabbed his wrist and flew up so his feet were off the ground and began flying faster than he could've ran. Sara was right beside them, a stony expression set into her features. "Sara, where's Clara?" Kimi asked abruptly as they began to catch up to him. He took a sharp turn into a long dark alleyway; a dead-end.

"I tried calling her communicator and cell-phone, but both are dead. She was going out with some friends tonight, I guess," Sara replied. "I hope nothing's wrong. You know how I tend to worry."

Kimi did not respond, but took the sharp turn after this man. She threw her father to the ground where he resumed sprinting (since he was given a nice break by having Kimi carry him) after the man. Kimi and Sara were on either side of him, a little bit ahead of him, as the man did the impossible; he bent his knees to the maximum and launched himself over a ten or fifteen foot wall in front of them.

Richard roared with anger and grabbed a steel pole that was in a trash can nearby. He stuck it in a crack in the street and used it like a pole-vaulter to launch himself over the wall and land on the pavement on the other side. He could've swore he shook the ground when he landed.

Richard looked up, with a vengeful smirk on his face, but it soon dropped as he discovered something shocking.

The kidnapper was gone.

Kimi and Sara appeared next to him, having flown over the wall, and looked out upon the nothingness that greeted their eyes. Richard shook his head to himself, feeling hot tears of anger beginning to spill down his cheeks. He turned to the nearest brick wall, let out a cry of fury, and punched it with the side of his fist. Kimi shook her head to herself, before pulling her dad away, taking his uninjured hand, and leading him back to the restaurant.

**TT2**

It took them around fifteen minutes to fly back to the restaurant; they had really gone out of their way to track this criminal, but he ended up getting away anyways. They landed back down to see the walls had completely crumbled and everything was lying in debris. A crowd of people were standing out front, all being attended by paramedics. It seems that no one had been inside when the building had collapsed, and the black figures the other Titans had been fighting had fled.

"Is there any way you can track her?" Richard asked, before hissing as one of the paramedics cleaned up his bleeding and blistering hand.

"I can," Sara cut in, as she, Kimi, and Danny stood next to him. Kimi was currently resting her head in Danny's collarbone, trying to hide the fact that she was silently crying. She couldn't handle the current situation. This might just be the worst thing that ever happened to her.

"Then do it!" Richard encouraged her.

"No, let me finish. I can, but I need Clara here," Sara explained. "There are certain things we can only do between us, and two of those things are telepathic communication and specific location. I can communicate with her, but only if she is conscious and if I have Clara to help. I can only locate her within six hours of her disappearance, and again only if I have Clara. After that I can only produce an attraction, but that's only so much help. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Richard whispered.

Sara bit her lip and slipped her communicator from a hidden pocket in her shirt. "Clara?" she asked into it. "Clara? Can you hear me?" All she got in return was static. Sara sighed and deposited it back into the hidden pocket. "It's no use."

Vic traveled over to where Richard was sitting and sat on the back of the ambulance next to him, making it dip considerably. "How you holding up, man?" he asked, clapping his back. Richard gritted his teeth.

"You try losing Jenna and see how you feel," he mumbled in snappish tone.

"Sorry, man," Vic started softly, trying to calm him. "I know it hurts but that's no reason to-"

"Yea, I know," he replied. "I'm sorry. It just really does hurt, you know? Losing your fiancee a week before your wedding. I'm pretty sure it'd suck for you if it happened to you."

"Yea, Rich, it would," Vic responded, grasping his friend's shoulder before standing up. "Look, I'm gonna go check on Jenna. They're fixing up her wrist right now. They took Raven to the hospital because of her leg, so after Jenna and I are done here, we're going to go visit her. You might want to think about doing the same." Vic clapped his back one more time and nodded towards Sara and Danny (Kimi could not see him, for her hair was curtaining her face on Danny's shoulder).

"I'll be seeing you," Richard responded, with no tone to his voice.

The paramedic finished up with Richard and gave him final instructions for his injury, before setting off to help other injured patrons. Kimi turned away from Danny's shoulder, her red, puffy eyes meeting her father's. _You need to stay strong...for Kimi._ Kimi rushed forward into her father's arms, resting her head in the crook of his neck, silently weeping. He kissed her temple and held her close, the one last living thing to give him a connection to his missing wife.

Or so he thought.

Kimi pulled away and looked at her father. "Do you think we'll find her?" she asked him, her eyes filled with worry and doubt. She began to chew her lip after a few moments of silence.

Richard half-smiled. He pulled her neck forward to kiss her forehead and then looked up at her though his blue eyes. "Of course we will. Two generations of Titans teamed up can't be stopped by nobody."

Kimi smiled back at him and hugged him tight, employing her alien strength. "No one can stop us now," she cried. "We'll find her, daddy. We will."

A little way away, Kyle checked his communicator to see it was nearly nine. He regrouped near three of his other teammates, pulling Taku with him. "Look, Titans, there's not much more we can do here. Let's get home, get some rest, and we'll see if there's anything we can do in the morning. There's nothing to do now unless Clara shows up." Sara nodded in agreement. "Let's go."

Kimi and her father shared one last hug, before she kissed his cheek. "Tell Raven I say best wishes for a speedy recovery," Kimi told him, her eyes looking down to the ground as her toe tried to dig into the pavement. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you, too, Kimi," he whispered back, watching as she flew away, landing next to Danny, who was walking away.

He sighed, resting his head in his hands, before soon getting up, starting his car, and beginning towards the hospital. He didn't bother to turn on the music, not in the mood to fool with the channels or one of his CD's. He drove slow and steady, thinking, as he took a sharp turn onto a main street.

"Kori," he breathed, before sighing in defeat. How could he have not caught her? How could he have not caught up to this inhuman man. "Kor. God! How could I have let him get away with you? Great husband I am."

It was a few minutes before he was pulling into the visitor's lot at the Hospital. He pulled in next to Vic's car, which was only a few spots away form an elevator up to the entrance. Richard locked up his car, before he took the elevator up to the main entrance. He had seen a sign with visiting hours posted as 9 to 5, but he was sure they would make an exception.

He walked in through sliding doors towards the waiting room. He found it in no time (having been there many times before), and saw Vic and Jenna sitting there, waiting. Jenna had her legs crossed and her foot was bouncing up and down. Vic was whispering to her, trying to calm her, and in the silence you could just make out what he was saying from afar.

"Hey there," Richard greeted as he came up to them and sat across from Vic. "How's she doing?" he asked.

"We don't know. The doctor said he'd come out and tell us when she's ready to see someone, but-"

As if on cue, the doctor entered through swinging doors, a balding middle-aged man with remnants of brown and gray hair. He smiled politely. "She'll be just fine. A few cuts and scrapes, and a broken leg, but she's told us she can heal that to make it less severe. Good thing she's a natural healer or it could've been much worse."

Richard and Victor both sighed in relief, and Jenna looked less visibly shaken. "Can we see her?" Richard asked excitedly.

"You may," the doctor replied, turning on his heel and motioning for the three ex-heroes to follow him. It was very quiet as they were led down the hallway, not much noise could be heard, except for the shuffling of patients beneath their sheets. The doctor soon arrived in front of a door, and pushed it open to reveal Raven playing with the remote control to her television. She looked up, placing the control on her bedside table, and smiled slightly.

"Hey there."

Richard smiled back, walking forward to envelope her in a hug. "How you doing?" he asked as he pulled away and let Vic hug her. Richard jabbed a finger towards her leg. "Does it hurt?"

"It stings. I healed it so it's not that bad, but I'm tired so I wasn't able to heal it all the way. After I get home and rest I should be fine," she explained. "Jenna, how's your wrist?"

"Fine," she replied with a polite smile. She waved said wrist in the air. "A little banged up, but nothing I can't handle. I've seen worse on my own body."

"That's good to hear. What happened to your fist?" Raven asked inquisitively.

"She doesn't know," Vic stated in surprise.

"I don't know what?" she asked.

"How does she not know?" Jenna cut in.

"What don't I know?" she asked, annoyed.

"She passed out before it happened," Richard explained to her.

"TELL ME AND I'LL KNOW!" she exploded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Dear Azar! Do I always have to yell to get what I want?"

Richard opened his mouth to respond, btu before he could say anything the TV began blaring, "THIS IS BREAKING NEWS!". All four heads in the room turned to the television and began to watch in wonder as the news reporter stood in front of the rubble that was once Masuka's Japenese Restaurant. "I am downtown, standing in front of the remains of Masuka's, a Japanese restaurant loved by all. It was just tonight that this building was destroyed by a pack of men and woman dressed in all black, who have not yet been identified. The Teen Titans and the Police are working on this top-priority case, but another case that is of utmost importance is the kidnapping of Kori Anders." Raven gasped. "She was kidnapped from the restaurant in the mass confusion. Her fiancee put up quite a fight in trying to get her back, but after fifteen minutes the kidnapper was nowhere to be seen. The police are saying nothing-"

Raven turned off the television. "Kori was kidnapped?" Raven exclaimed, looking to Richard. He nodded sadly. "Oh, Richard..."

He inconspicuously wiped away tears from his eyes. "It hurts. I've been beating myself up because Robin couldn't catch up to some two-bit criminal trying to get his hands on some of our money. I mean, why else would someone do this?"

Raven gasped and began shaking, her hands darting to the bed rails. Her knuckles turned white as her eyes rolled back into her head, and Richard and Victor darted to either side of her. "Raven! Raven!" they called, but she did not answer. Her shaking continued to get worse, as she fell back onto the bed and the lights in the room flickered on and off. Raven momentarily stopped shaking and her body began twitching, convulsing, and bucking uncontrollably. She let out squeaks of terror and just as the lights returned to normal, all fell silent and she rested peacefully in her bed, her eyes closed and her body unmoving.

"Raven? Raven?" they called, but she did not answer.

_It was a dark and dank room made of stone. Just walking along the floor dug into my bare feet and made me whimper. "Where am I?" I cried, but it was not my voice. It was the voice of my best friend, Kori. I was in her body. "Let me out!"_

_I turned and saw that only three walls were made of stone. One wall was barred, with a small barred door, as if it were a jail cell. I turned again and saw a small cot with a meal placed upon it. It had not yet been touched, but looked as if it had been there a while. "I refuse to eat until I am aware of my surroundings!" I cried, pounding my fist against the stone wall and making it tremble slightly. Besides that, it did nothing._

_A masked face appeared, and it looked as if it were a younger version of Richard, in his Robin uniform. "Richard?" her voice stuttered through my lips. But I, Raven, knew better. I knew better than to trust this vision._

_And I was correct._

_It morphed into the ugliest, most hideous thing I had ever seen. To describe would be impossible, for there were no words to fit this description. I fell to my knees and they scraped on the stone floor, and I began bawling in to my petite orange hands. "R-Richard," I moaned, never sounding more lost and alone in her life._

_Before long, I stood up, took the meal off of the cot, set it on the floor, and laid down to try and get a restful night's sleep. I tried to rebel; I tried not to follow these actions, but they were binding me, as if I had to. They must've been what Kori was doing at that exact moment. _

_In my last moments of this hazy vision, I looked up, my eyes laced with tears making my vision even blurrier, and watched the purple moon shine in the night sky._

**TT2**


	29. Front Page Material

**A/N**: Wow. That's it. By the looks of it, I'll probably have about twenty more chapters until this is done. Long, right?

**Disclaimer**: No matter how much I wish, the Teen Titans will never be mine.

**TT2**

**Saturday September 19, 2019**

Clara awoke around twelve the next morning. She stretched in her bed so her top exposed her mid-section, and yanked the hem down so she was covered properly again. Clara slid herself out of bed, yawned, and stumbled over to her full-length mirror that happened to be a door to her closet. She examined herself in her short black and blue plaid flannel shorts, and her dark blue DCShoes long-sleeved shirt. She looked decent enough to go grab a bite of breakfast. She would normally take a shower and get dressed, but she was still kind-of tired from the night before. She would be fine, it was just the Titans.

Clara began walking, her ankle-cut white socks protecting her feet from the cold metal floor. Once more she yawned, before loosening her hair of its messy bun. She continued to walk as she pulled it back up into a bun that hung loosely off her head. "What will today bring?" she asked herself, crossing her arms over her chest and adjusting her eyes to the long hallway before her.

Clara was first greeted by her sister as she entered the living room. "Hey Clare," she started softly, making her lunch of a tofu ham sandwich with mustard. "I made you a sandwich too if you want one."

"I'd love one," Clara replied happily, sitting at the kitchen counter and slumping over. She saw Kyle on the couch, reading the newspaper, and Taku and Danny in the center battling each other in video games. Kimi was in the seat next to hers at the bar, eating her own lunch of penne and meat sauce. "Hey Kyle, what are ya reading about? Some whackjob celebrity that just needed to have a cameo on the front page?"

Kyle snorted to himself. "You could say that."

Sara slipped the sandwich in front of her. Clara responded with a small smile. With her magic, she slipped the orange juice out of the fridge and poured herself a tall cup. "It looks delicious, thanks." Kyle stood from the couch, the paper folded so that the front page was all that was showing. There were four pictures, of what Clara could see, and they looked to be of a snotty celebrity.

"You could say a celebrity has been hogging the spotlight on the paper, where I normally assume I will get real news instead of the large protruding face of some celebrity I don't really care to see." Clara was now thoroughly confused. "But today, when I picked up my newspaper, I was greeted by the face of someone very different."

Kyle stood next to her and smiled the sweetest he had ever smiled in his life. This greatly scared Clara. Before she knew what hit her, he slapped down the paper on the counter next to her lunch, the side that was not occupied by Kimi, and began to glare. "Care to explain?" he spat, taking his hand off of the paper to let Clara examine it. The other Titans in the room all jumped up from their current positions and craned their necks around Clara to get a better look.

Clara snatched the paper up from the counter and glared in horror at it. Below a large article about the destruction of Masuka's, the headline read:

_**Titan Clara Having Too Much Fun?**_

Believe it or not, last night was quiet uptown. All was undisturbed. All, except a teen nightclub where the undiscovered band Cosmic was playing and young teens were dancing and having fun. One of these teens, in fact, was Clara of the Teen Titans. While her other teammates were in their giant T-shaped tower training or sleeping, Clara was out partying with a young man said to be her current fling (see pictures above). This young man, who is yet to be identified, was seen riding his motorcycle to Titans tower around seven last night, and the two were spotted all around town thereafter until they were seen driving over Titans bridge around three AM. After three AM, the solitary young man was seen driving around Jump City until he disappeared from one of our reporters' views around 3:30. Now, the question we all have to ask ourselves is: who is this young man, and what does he have to do with the young woman Clara? Sources inside say (continued on page A4)

Clara stared in horror at the four pictures above this article. The first was of her kissing Jake when she very first saw him, her legs locked around his waist and her arms wrapped around her neck, his motorcycle in the background. The second was of them eating at the Pizza Place, their hands intertwined across the table. The third was a picture of her inside the community center, sitting on Jake's lap, her arms around his neck and his arms around her waist, sitting next to Adam who had his arm around the girl Clara vaguely knew as Arabella. The third was a picture taken latest in the night, Clara and Jake riding up Titans bridge before he dropped her off at home, as she fell asleep on his shoulder blade while pressed up against his back.

"Oh my God," she breathed, her eyes taking in each picture of her and Jake. Everything that could have possibly went wrong right now did. She was looking at the one newspaper that would destroy her reputation. "No! How did they get these pictures! This isn't possible!" she yelled to no one but herself.

"Whoa, Clare, who's that guy that you're with?" Taku asked. "I didn't know you had a boyfriend." He said the word boyfriend as if it stung his tongue.

"He's not my boyfriend!" she retorted. In all truthfulness, she had no idea what Jake considered them. Were they, in fact, a couple? "Well, maybe he is. I don't know. I just...I can't think." She slapped the paper down on the table and sighed, rubbing her face with both her petite hands. "Why would they target me? There's nothing interesting going on in my life to broadcast to all of Jump City!" She groaned.

"Clara, that's besides the point!" Kyle snapped. "We don't care if he's your boyfriend or not. We don't need the media spotlight thrust upon one of our teammates like this! When you're going out, you need to be more careful. And just to show you how serious I am, I am suspending your privilege to leave this tower alone for the next two weeks."

"What?" Clara asked in a rage, standing up and causing the crowd of Titans around her to back up. "You can do that!" she retorted in a dignified manner. "I am a human being, and as a human being I have my rights! One of my rights is the ability to conduct myself in my own manner. You are not my father! You cannot order me around!"

"But I am your legal guardian!" he told her in a fierce tone. "And that allows me to suspend your rights. I am sixteen, and I do, indeed, have the power to tell you what to do, since I am older than you!"

"That's not right!" Clara yelled. "That's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair. Get used to it!"

"Kyle!" Sara gasped, stepping in between the two to stop the fight. "Don't speak to Clara like that. Calm down! I know you're mad, but this is no way to act!" She rested a hand on his chest and a hand on her sister's arm in attempts to calm both of them. "Now, if we could act like adults and conduct ourselves in an orderly manner, maybe we can actually get something resolved around here!" Sara sighed. "Now Kyle-"

But Kyle didn't listen and instead pushed Sara aside so he could step up to Clara and look down upon her. "Clara, this is a serious matter. You need to learn respect for your team leader, and you need to realize what you've done! You can't be letting your personal get all over the news! That could spell bad trouble even for your teammates. And just think about Kimi's family! We could've found her mother if you had been with us! But no! You were out with your boyfriend, doing GOD KNOWS WHAT!"

"I'm sorry!" she yelled. "I wasn't thinking, is that what you want to hear?" she threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. "I didn't think my every move would be followed by the paparazzi! I didn't think I'd be needed for a life or death situation!"

Sara regained herself and realized what Kyle had just done. He had dared pushed her out of the way just to continue yelling at her sister? Who did he think he was? "Kyle! She's sorry, she didn't mean to, can you just leave her alone!"

"No, because she doesn't understand the severity of what she did!" he retorted.

"I do!" Clara retorted.

"You're just flying off the handle!" Kimi added to the conversation.

"I don't think he was!" Taku retorted, only taking his side because he didn't want to admit he was jealous of Clara's little flame. "He had every right to be angry! We don't need things to be complicated by Clara's little side-fling! We don't need this kind of publicity. And we sure could've used Clara's help last night!" Clara glared at Taku.

"Fuck you! You just don't want to admit you're jealous!" she yelled at him. His jaw dropped and he looked beyond angry for a moment, before turning on his heel and stomping out of the room.

Kyle sighed and rubbed his temples. "Everyone but Clara, OUT!" he ordered. "We don't need an entire team fight at the moment, and Clara and I need to talk things out. I mean it, now!" When he yelled the second time, everyone cleared out besides Sara, who stood there with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Whatever you can say to Clara, you can say to me," Sara stated, and you could tell that no matter what she was NOT leaving until they solved this.

"Clara," Kyle started seriously. "Look, maybe I did fly off the handle, but you need to understand we can't do things like this. We can't have this type of thing happening everyday. What if...I don't know..." he thought for a moment "Say Sara and I started going out. We couldn't risk anything by going public about it! We'd have to keep it a secret."

"So, you're saying that you wouldn't want anyone to know, you'd just keep me a secret?" Sara asked, a hint of hostility in her voice. "You wouldn't care enough to want anyone to know?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying!" he defended, his hands in front of himself as if portraying a point. "I'm just saying publicity could hurt us! That's why no one should know, and we shouldn't go out into public, hypothetically."

"So, hypothetically, if we started dating we couldn't go out on dates? We would stay cooped up in this Tower and just pretend we're having fun here? God, what is it with boys and being such jerks?" Sara asked him.

"No! That's not what I'm saying either!" he retorted. "Stop twisting my words into something you want to hear!"

"Oh, so now I'm twisting your words? I don't think I'm doing anything. Clara, do you think I'm doing anything wrong?" Sara asked her innocently. Clara shook her head. "Aha, see?"

"Don't go bringing Clara into this! Of course she'll agree with you! She's your twin sister!" he yelled at her.

"You're just afraid to admit I'm right! There's no reason to forbid a girl from having a little bit of fun! She just needs to be more careful next time," Sara told him, her voice calming a little.

"A little bit of fun? HER LITTLE BIT OF FUN LANDED HER ON THE FRONT PAPER,DIRECTLY AFTERTHE EVENT OF THE CENTURY! That's not a little bit of fun, that's reckless. That's what you two girls are! You two are reckless, and you don't care for anyone but yourselves!"

Sara stepped forward so she was chest to chest with Kyle and stared him straight in the eye. They were almost eye level, but she was about an inch shorter than him so it wasn't too even. "Talk about not caring about anyone but yourselves!" she spat. "I can't believe I ever liked a stubborn and unreasonable guy like you!" she screamed at him, before huffing, turning on her heel, and striding confidently out the door.

Kyle stood there, dumbfounded, then looked to Clara, then looked back to the open door where Taku, Danny, and Kimi were all peering in at him. Had he just heard what he thought he heard? Kyle continued to ponder if what he just heard was real. He was confused.

Sara liked him?

**TT2**

Kyle retired to his room to blow off a little steam. He went on his computer for a little while to read his E-mail and instant message friends before he sighed, dressed in long black cotton shorts, and began towards the gym. With a water bottle in one hand and a gray Kelvin High School Football tee-shirt in the other, he entered confidently and sighed with relief to see no one was there.

Kyle scratched his well-defined abdomen after he slung his tee-shirt over his shoulder. From the door he looked out upon the entire gym. In front of him where many different weight training machines scattered about, all state-of-the-art. Farther than that was a balcony protected by a glass fence-like guard that overlooked a track that hugged a turf field. Don't ask me whythe Titans needed a turf field, but apparently whoever built the tower thought it was necessary. To his right were cardiovascular machines, like treadmills, elliptical machines, bikes, and other things. There was another balcony with a glass fence-like guard, that overlooked an Olympic-sized pool. There was nothing to the left of him.

He sighed and started right towards the cardiovascular machineries. He took the best treadmill they had, pumped it up to eight miles per hour (which was a light jog for a boy as fast as him), and began his warm-up run. After he had jogged for five minutes, he began to stretch by the pool's balcony, just so he could watch the beautiful sight of the reflective water. It was something that calmed him, besides working out.

After Kyle had warmed up, he began weight training at 50 pounds on a machine to work his abdominal muscles. He had been losing a lot of the muscle strength in his stomach lately, and if he was to go up against Baron he would need that strength in case he got scratched again. And, of course, the ladies were impressed by six-packs.

Kyle then started training his calves, another weak spot for him. He just love criticizing himself on what he knew he needed to work on. He would make up a list and when he got some free time he would work on everything on that list. He was a perfectionist, despite what most believed.

After an hour of training, Kyle was finished. He was sweaty, hot, and disgusting. He needed to get out of there before it permanently settled in. Kyle grabbed his shirt, slung it over his shoulder (it was way too hot to put it on, so whoever he passed would have to bear the sight of his bare chest), and began out the door. All was silent; Danny and Taku were playing games up in the game room, Kimi was on her laptop in her room(where she had been since last night except for lunch), and Sara and Clara were both in their rooms.

Kyle stopped in front of Sara's door, lost in his thoughts but snapping out just in time to realize where he was. He watched the door for a few seconds, before sighing, coming forward, and knocking gently.

There was no answer.

"Hey sunshine." Silence. "Look, Sare, I know you're mad at me," he started softly, smiling as he used his nickname for her. "I want to say I'm sorry. I'm an asshole and I'll admit it, right now, right here, without shame. I hope I gave you enough time to chill, because we can't honestly have two members of this team mad at each other," he sighed, scratching the back of his sweaty head. "It wouldn't do anything good for us. So what do you say? Friends again?"

Kyle knocked again. "Sara? Sare?" He punched in the access override code into the keypad beside her door and let it swing open. She was nowhere in sight.

Clara passed by, a book in her arms and iPod earphones in her ears. "Hey Clara," Kyle asked. "Have you seen Sara?"

Clara paused her silver mp3 player. "She's up on the roof," she told him. "I'm not so sure if she wants to talk to you yet, so you might want to just let her chill for a while. A few days, maybe. My sister is a very angry person sometimes, and I just don't want you to make it worse since you weren't properly informed of that fact."

"Oh," Kyle whispered, downcast.

"It's sweet of you to want to apologize, though," Clara told him, trying to help the situation a little. "It'll be ok, I promise. It's no wonder she likes you so much." Clara's face was split with a smile before she turned her music on again and began on her way.

"Thanks," he whispered, though she couldn't hear.

Kyle then returned to his room.

**TT2**

It was late that afternoon that the Titans had visitors to the tower; Raven Roth, Richard Grayson, and Victor Stone. Kimi was more than ecstatic to see her father, since she hadn't been seeing her parents much lately. They were there to use the high-tech computers to try and get a tracking signal on Kori, somehow.

"Do you know of any enemies she has?" Kyle asked in his all-business-no-nonsense tone as he sat back in his chair and stroked his chin. "That could influence the search for her. We could start out in places her enemies are known to hang out."

Richard sighed. "She could be anywhere in the world at the moment, Kyle. I really have no idea. I mean, who could make an enemy out of the sweetest girl on Earth?"

Raven was sitting in the center of the floor in front of the couch, her back to Sara and Clara, who were sitting on the couch. Raven had her eyes closed and her fingers in delicate positions on her knees, as she sat in her trademark lotus position, chanting the ever-timeless, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos". Sara and Clara were sitting towards each other, their eyes connected and never breaking, never blinking, with their hands connected. The twins were mimicking Raven's lotus position.

Suddenly they began chanting a mantra of their own. This went on for a few minutes as Victor and Richard researched, Kyle looked on at their side, Kimi paced nervously, Taku and Danny researched on Danny's notebook computer, and Raven attempted to locate her as well.

Raven let out a loud gasp as her eyes snapped open and she immediately stopped chanting. "I keep losing her!" she announced angrily. "I get so close. I can feel it. My soul self is almost there, but then it just shortens out. It's like...she's underground or something. My soul self can't go through solid ground or anything like that, so, if she's underground, we're screwed."

"If that's your attempt at cheering me up, it's not working," Richard deadpanned.

"Sorry."

Sara and Clara stopped chanting and both sighed in unison. "We can't get her either," they both announced.

"Our attraction keeps shorting out somehow," Clara explained. "It's like she's...I don't know, it's like she just vanished off the face of the Earth."

"She's not..." Richard trailed off, horror striking his features.

"No, no, no!" Raven was quick to argue. "I told you, I saw her in my vision yesterday. She doesn't even know where she is, so wasting my own energy to attempt a mental connection with her is pointless. But I promise, she's not dead." Raven stood from her spot and traveled over to where Richard was sitting, his head in his hands. She placed a comforting hand on his back and patted it softly. "We'll find her. It may not be today or tomorrow, but we'll find her, alive."

Richard smiled gratefully up at her. "Yea, dad!" Kimi empowered.

"Wait!" Clara shouted. "There's something I can try. I can't promise it'll work, but I might be able to talk with her." Clara's counterpart looked up at her, silently questioning her. "The Acratic Theory...that states one can communicate with one's own mind. If I have the spell right, I can talk to Kori. But this is advanced magic and I can't promise I'll be able to do it. If I can, it'll be a miracle."

"Try anything to get to her," Richard encouraged. "I'm sure you can do it. We didn't pick you as a Titan for nothing."

Clara, flattered, smiled. "And...let's see. The Acratic theory also states you can talk with one while in the body of another," she mumbled to herself. "Sara. If I do this right, you'll hear me talking in your mind. I need you to relay what I say back into this room." Clara sat back down on the couch across from her sister.

"Can do," Sara replied, a small smile on her face. "Go get 'em, Clare." Clara took her sister's hands in her own, and one connection glowed black while the other glowed yellow. Clara mumbled a long mantra under her breath and closed her eyes.

_Behind her lids colors swirled softly and dissolved into the same dark cell that Raven had described to the Titans a half an hour earlier. "Huh? What? Who is there?" an innocent voice asked in her mind._

"_Kori, don't be afraid, it's me. I'm Clara, of the Teen Titans. I'm here to talk," Clara told her softly, her voice ringing through the cell. "I'm in your mind. I can see what you see and feel what you feel, hear what you hear, you get the point."_

"_Indeed I do." Then, to test it, Kori lightly pinched herself. "You felt that, yes?"_

"_Yeah, and I can also feel that pain in your stomach. What is that?" Clara asked._

"_I have not eaten," she responded. "I refuse to eat until they tell me where I am."_

"_You have to eat, Kori. You may be here a long time until you're able to break out or we can find you," Clara told her. "Please, eat."_

_Kori sighed. "I shall. Now, I assume you have come here in my mind for something?"_

"_Your husband was worried. I told him I could try and come here to communicate with you. He loves you very, very much. Don't forget that." Kori nodded, and Clara could feel tears springing to her eyes._

"_Sara," Clara hissed. Kori couldn't hear her talking to her sister._

"_Yea?" Sara's faint voice asked._

"_Kori is fine. A little hungry, but she's doing just fine. They haven't hurt her, nor does it look like they intend to. But ask them if there's anything they need to know that I haven't mentioned," Clara stated. "Ok?"_

_Her sister affirmed._

Sara's eyes snapped open. "She's successfully connected to Kori," Sara stated with a large grin. Richard's face split into a grin as well, and he sighed in relief. "Kori is absolutely fine. She's a little hungry, but besides that she's safe, not hurt, and it doesn't seem like they intend to hurt her. Clara wants to know if there's anything to ask her."

"_And tell Richard I already told her he loves her."_

"And Clara says she already told Kori that you love her, Richard," Sara stated with a knowing smirk.

Richard blushed softly. "Tell Kori to hang tight. We'll find her soon."

"And tell mommy I love her!" Kimi chimed in. "And that I miss her already."

Sara repeated this all back to Clara.

"_Your family misses you," Clara told Kori. "Kimi really hasn't been herself. She kinda just shut herself in her room since yesterday and really isn't as...well...happy. Kimi says she loves you and that she misses you. Richard says to hang tight; they'll find you soon."_

_Clara could feel a smile working across her face. "I am sure he will. I do not doubt his abilities." Suddenly, the barred door next to her swung open and Kori gasped. A hand reached out from the darkness and grabbed onto the top of Kori's vest, that she was still wearing from the previous night._

_Kori screamed shrilly, but even her alien strength was overpowered by this mysterious figure._

"_KORI!" Clara screamed. "KORI!"_

And she was snapped back to reality, where she herself was screaming in the shrillest tone possible. Her eyes snapped open and she stopped screaming to see she had fallen on the floor and everyone was crowding around her. Kyle lent her a hand and helped her up (Sara stuck her nose up when he stood next to her; she was still mad) and she rubbed her head softly.

"Something got Kori," she breathed, panting slightly. "I don't know. They just took her off and that's the last I saw."

Richard's face went white.

**TT2**

After about an hour of more dilligent research, Victor, Richard, and Raven had left, all saying they would be back the same time tomorrow. Kimi retired to her room to rest a little (she was wiped from the excitement of the past two days), Kyle went to swim a few laps, Danny was fixing himself the "sandwich of all sandwiches" as he called it, and Taku was in his room, playing his guitar.

That only left Sara and Clara. Each were in their respective rooms, of course. Jake had suddenly appeared on Clara's vanity stool and nearly gave her a heart attack. After playfully yelling at him a little, they began to talk about the headline on the newspaper this morning, and how his mother had a coronary after she recognized him. They laughed about it a little, but then Clara reminisced about how it had gotten Sara and Kyle into a fight.

Sara was in her room, laying on her stomach on her bed, her bare feet bobbing up and down as she talked on the phone to her best friend and her friend that happened to be a boy. She had been doing this for the past hour, just sitting and talking.

It was not long before Jake had to leave and Sara hung up on her two friends. And then, at the same time, the two sisters sat up, and started towards the other's room. They met face-to-face in the middle of the hallway. "I need to talk to you," they both started at the same time, and then both sighed. "Stop doing that!" They both groaned.

"Look, we need to talk. Now," Sara ordered, taking her sister's hand and dragging her into her brightly colored room. Sara jumped onto her bed and sat cross-legged across from her sister who had also chosen a spot on the bed. Sara sighed. "What did you need to talk about?" she asked, selfless person that she was.

"I wanted to talk to you about...Jake," Clara mumbled. "That's the guy I was out with last night. I know I kind of lied to you all by saying it was a blind date, because it wasn't. We've been...er...seeing each other. But I just don't want things to get too serious because..." there was no way Clara could say this without revealing his identity as Black Baron. "...I just don't. For personal reasons. But I really like him. What do I do?"

Sara thought for a moment. "I really couldn't tell you the right way to keep it from getting serious. It's all based upon his feelings, and how he feels about you."

"I really think he likes me, which is great, because I like him too, it's just while I'm a Titan I don't spotlight on me for this relationship. I guess the real reason I came to you is advice to keep it low key but still have fun with him," Clara told her, looking down to her fiddling hands then looking back up.

"Well, first you know you can always come to me if you need help planning a 'secret' date. I'm good with that kind of thing. But, besides that, just keep it low-key for a while. Maybe have him come to the tower and hang out here. Just make sure that's ok with Kyle first. You don't necessarily always need to go out on a date," Sara explained. "And maybe seeing him less often. How often do you see him?"

"About every day, I'd have to say," Clara responded, blushing. "We kinda can't stay away from each other."

Sara smiled. "And try not seeing each other everyday. It'll test if the relationship is mere lust or actual attraction."

Clara inwardly snorted. Kinda hard to not see each other everyday when he either pops up, or they end up fighting him. "Hopefully that'll work. I don't know it's just...I feel like I'm doing something wrong in Kyle's eyes. Like I'm inadequate or something since he yelled at me for getting caught with Jake. I don't want that happening again."

"Kyle can get a little hotheaded sometimes. I've noticed that." Sara snorted. "If he wants to be a hotheaded idiot, so be it, but it shouldn't stop you from seeing your little boyfriend."

"Thanks, Sare. So what did you want to talk about?" Clara asked.

"I just...I don't know what possessed me but Jared...he asked me out today, because he said he'd liked me for a really long time and since I broke up with Tommy...well, yea," she started unsurely. "And, something, I don't know what, made me say yes. So, now we're basically dating. And part of me thinks I did it because I wanted to make Kyle jealous..."

"You probably did," Clara affirmed. "Subconsciously, since you haven't been told how Kyle feels, you naturally assumed he doesn't like you, so you said yes to someone else to make yourself feel better and possibly make Kyle jealous in the process."

"But...Jared is my best friend. We've been tight since like fifth grade. I don't want to date him, but just somehow I said yes. How do I tell him that?"

"You don't. Dating Jared could possibly help you in your situation with Kyle. You date Jared, possibly bring him over to the tower so you don't have to directly tell Kyle you two are dating, Kyle sees you acting all boyfriend-girlfriend with him, confronts you, and confesses his feelings," Clara told her confidently.

"Really? Oh thanks Clara! I knew you were a genius in this type of situation!" Sara exclaimed, leaning over to hug her sister. "Now, get out. I need to make plans for tomorrow!" she giggled excitedly.

Clara stood and walked from her sister's room, never stopping until she was back in her own room. "Or, you know, this situation could possibly make things worse," she continued. "And you could screw up things with Kyle forever."

**TT2**


	30. What Are Friends For?

**A/N**: The lovely, lovely season we like to refer to up here in the Eastern parts as 'Spring' has come and what does that mean, my loyal reviewers who know enough by now? Lacrosse season! I shall be tied up A LOT, so updates will comeless often. I shouldn't have started a new story three weeks before Lacrosse season, so I screwed myself over on that one. As well, I won't be able to type much. I took a hit to the arm today and, literally, I have lost all feeling in said arm, so I can only type with one hand. Sorry. Blame the sophomore that did it. So, that should wear off in about a week.

**Disclaimer**: I wish they were mine, but alas, Teen Titans are not.

**TT2**

Raven awoke to see people standing all around her, including two doctors, a nurse, and her friends Victor, Richard, and Jenna. "Kori?" she asked in her dazed and confused state, looking up to the redheaded nurse.

"She's delusional," the doctor stated. "She needs to fully wake up from her trance before she remembers where she is and what she's doing. Besides that, she's free to go. I'll need to see her in a week to make sure she healed the leg properly, though." The doctors and the nurse left the room, all one after the other, leaving the three friends to crowd around her bed.

"Raven?" Victor asked, taking one of her hands. "Rae, can you hear me? Who am I?"

Raven sat up, taking her hand from his and rubbing her head softly. "Vic, of course. I didn't get amnesia, I just had a vision," she told them, as if a young child could figure it out without her help. "My head hurts like a-" she refrained from use of a swear. "Can we get out of here? We need to talk and I don't think I'm comfortable talking about this in here."

Richard nodded and helped her from her bed. She grabbed the crutches provided for her next to her bed and set them under her armpits, and began walking in a wobbly fashion. Vic was on one side and Richard was on the other, with Jenna in the back. "You ok?" Richard asked.

"Fine. I'll only need to use these for a day or two. Like I said, I need to gather up strength before I can heal myself," she explained once again. They all walked up to the desk in the front of the ward and said they were checking out Raven Roth, before they all began towards their respective cars.

"We'll all meet at Richard's house," Raven began through the silence, where all they could hear was the clicking of her crutches on the pavement. "I guess I'll need to explain my little episode, but like I said, I just don't feel comfortable discussing something in such a place." Suddenly there was a soft ringing. Raven recognized it as her own cell phone and stopped for a second to pull it from her pocket. "It's Gar!" she exclaimed, immediately opening it and pressing it to her ear. "Victor, can you hold that against my ear for me? Thanks."

Victor pressed the little device to her ear as they continued walking towards their automobiles. "Hey there," Gar began softly. "Did you get my e-mail?"

"Of course. It was wonderful," Raven breathed. "You're not going to believe everything that's happened tonight, Gar. It was horrible. Richard, Vic, Kori, Jenna, and I all went out for Hibachi at that little Japanese restaurant downtown, and halfway through dinner there were just random explosions and these black figures were attacking the restaurant. The restaurant collapsed and the figures kidnapped Kori. Jenna sprained her wrist, I broke my leg, and Vic hurt his ribs and got a mild concussion. Richard was lucky enough to get out before he got seriously hurt, but angry person he is he punched a wall after he lost Kori and cracked his knuckles open."

"I resent that!" Richard stated. "That was my fiancee I lost!"

"That's terrible!" Gar gasped. "Are you ok? Does your leg hurt at all?"

"I'm fine," Raven hollowly chuckled. "My leg stings, but it's not horrible. I'm just worried about Kori. We don't want anything bad happening to her."

"Right, right," Gar sighed.

"Garfield!" a voice shrilly called in the background.

"Rita, I was just-"

"I know what you were doing! You were-" her voice was soon drowned out as Gar covered the mouthpiece and listened to what she had to say.

"Uh, look, Rae-face, I gotta go," he told her, using his long-time nickname for her, though she absolutely despised it. "I love you, very much. Take care."

"I love you too."

And he hung up. Victor put the phone back into her back pocketfor her as they approached their cars. Raven slid into the front seat of Richard's car, while Jenna and Vic loaded into his 'baby'. Richard was talking to Vic for just a few minutes as Raven sat inside the car, listening to their muffled conversation. Richard slid into the driver's seat. "He and Jenna are going to go change, and then they're going to meet us at my house. Do you still want to stay at our house, y'know, while we look for Kori?"

"It's better than both of us being lonely," Raven supposed, smiling softly up to the man that she had come to know as a big brother since the fateful day they met. Ever since then, she had been the second closest person to him, and vice versa.

Richard leaned over and patted her hand. "Gar will come back soon, I promise. You know he can't stay away from you for longer than five minutes. The kid's smitten. Has been ever since you two were sixteen."

"I know, Rich," she sighed, and then they lapsed into silence.

**TT2**

They had all gone to the Grayson Residence and Raven explained her entire vision. Richard was still worried, even though Raven reportedKori was fine, that she may be in some sort of danger. Victor and Jenna were still contemplating possible ways to communicate with her. Jenna had no way to do it with her powers, and Raven had no way to do it with her mental bonds. She was still confused about how she had seen her before. It must've been a mutual want to connect the both of them.

The next morning was hard for Richard, as he woke alone, with the lack of body heat next to him. He rolled over and slid his feet out of bed. He rubbed his head and slid his hand into his hair, teasing it out as he stumbled down the hall and downstairs into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. It was a Saturday, so he was not required to come into work today.

Richard stopped at Raven's room before venturing downstairs to peak in. Her laptop was humming on the desk, and she was snoring lightly as she slept with her hand on her stomach, but those were the only noises.

Richard smiled slightly, before closing the door and beginning again downstairs. All was quiet since there was not the colossal snoring of Galfore. He was on a trip to a very faraway foreign planet, having been called there on emergency.

Richard walked into the kitchen barefoot. He turned the TV on and switched it to the news channel to see a news clip of his disappeared wife. He sighed when her picture came across the screen. He was so distracted he almost missed the coffee maker and poured the beans on himself.

Richard poured himself a cup once it had brewed and sat at the kitchen table, watching the news. Suddenly, the topic switched and it turned into Clara with some unidentified boy. Wait.

Richard turned back to the screen and watched the young man's face that appeared on it along with Clara. He could place that face somewhere, but where had he seen it before? It almost looked like...

And then it hit him. That was Jenna's nephew!

Richard shook his head and continued to watch the television with interest, reaching for the remote to turn it up. It reported how she had been caught last night in several compromising positions with the same boy, and reportedly 'was going against her leader, Hawk's, orders by going out last night'. It was reported there had been a falling out among the team.

Richard sipped his coffee and continued to watch. "Teenagers," he murmured to himself.

He proceeded to watch the rest of the newscast, almost an hour long, while continually refilling his mug with coffee. He really couldn't do much else at the moment. The shock of losing his wife still hadn't worn off. And, sadly, there was not much he could do. All tracking devices, holistic and technological, were coming up short. What could this mean?

The newscast finished and he turned of the television, washed his coffee mug, and put it in the dishwasher. He had no idea what to do with himself now. So, he decided to go upstairs and see if Raven were awake. Soon, they would go to Titans' Tower to start research

Richard hopped onto the stairs and took two at a time up to the guest bedroom. He pressed his ear against the door, but did not hear Raven's rhythmic snore. Instead, he heard noises coming from the bathroom down the hall. He walked towards the bathroom and listened intently to hear the sounds of puking.

"Raven?" he asked, knocking with his knuckles. "Rae, you there?"

"I'm here," she stated drowsily.

"You ok? You need any help?" he asked back

"Fine!" she replied, before he heard sounds of retching again.

Richard sighed, before reaching for the doorknob and pushing the door open. There was Raven, kneeling in front of the toilet, her face stuffed inside, her hair curtaining what could be seen. Richard stepped towards her, raked his hands through her hair, and held it all at a messy ponytail at the crown of her head. She lifted her head up and croaked, "thank you".

"What are friends for?"

**TT2**

Later that night was a war-zone in the Jinks household. Jake had not been home since last night, so he had not been yelled at by his mother...yet. But the moment Jake walked in that door at nine P.M. that night, Jenna was on him faster than a rabid dog on a piece of pork.

"Where have you been?" Jenna yelled the second he closed the door and tried to tip-toe to his room. "Not one call? Not one lousy phone call? Of course if I wanted to hear about where you were and what you were doing I could consult our LOCAL NEWSPAPER, OR EVERY TELEVISION CHANNEL IN JUMP CITY!" She yelled. "WHAT. WERE. YOU. THINKING?"

Jake took a deep breath. Nothing ever helped if you got angry. "I didn't realize we were being watched. I made a mistake. I'm sorry mom."

"SORRY? SORRY? THE HIVE COULD'VE FOUND YOU AND YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED!" she yelled at him. "JACOB DERRICK JINKS!"

Never once in her life had Jenna used his full name.

"I'm sorry mom!" he yelled back desperately. "It's not my fault that I like her! I can't control my heart!" He sighed. "I was an idiot! I forgot to look out for myself! I'm sorry! I was trying to have a good time, like a normal teenager!"

Jenna sighed and rubbed her temples, looking down to the floor before looking back up. "C'mon, Jake. You can't do this. You can't just freely go out and be with her. It can endanger you. It can endanger us. It can endanger her. Do you really want that?" Silence. "I'm forbidding you from seeing her."

"You can't do that!" Jake retorted.

"I can, and I just did," she told him sternly.

"No! I'm going to keep seeing her!" Jake yelled at her.

"Not while you're under my roof!" Jenna stated stolidly, her hands on her hips, watching him with her intense gaze.

"Fine!" He stomped past her and to his room, slamming the door shut. Jenna thought it was over, so she merely sighed and leaned against the hallway hall. But, was she surprised when Jake came back down the hall with a backpack slung over his shoulder. "I'm leaving," he spat. "I'm going to keep seeing her, and you can't stop me!"

"Who will house you?" she asked him, smirking.

"I don't know. I'll find some place. I'm just not staying here!"

And he stomped out the door and slammed it behind him, leaving a sobbing Jenna in his wake. There was only one thing for her to do now; call Victor.

**TT2**

It was a late night within the Grayson residence. Raven had brought all of her possibly useful books from her apartment and was now diligently searching them for any sort of idea on how to track down Kori. Richard had brought a few books written in English into his study and in his spare time would flip through them. Besides that, he was working on the security breach that left him injured. They still hadn't found the criminal.

Raven knocked gently on his door. "Come in," he requested, already knowing it was her. Raven came in, smiled softly, and took a quiet seat in front of him. "Yes?" he asked, peering over his black-rimmed spectacles to stare at her with his intense ice blue eyes.

"You found anything?" she asked, fiddling with her hands. "I haven't, but I haven't given up yet. I know that I'm so, so close. I can almost feel it."

Richard had looked back down to his papers but looked up at her again, his head not moving, only his eyes. He smiled slightly. "It's ok, Rae. You can go get some sleep now. Little Skye's gonna need it."

Raven smiled. "Thanks for this morning, by the way. I, obviously, wasn't feeling very well and...it always helps to have a friend. Especially when Gar's not around. I don't think I've ever told you this, but you, Kori, and Victor are my best friends. I'd die without you guys."

"You didn't need to tell me. I already know. Boy, do I already know." He paused and sighed softly, not sadly, but just softly. "Go get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

Raven smiled as her goodbye and walked out of his study. Richard rested his head in one hand and continued to stare at the paper in front of him. It was a police report from the day of the break-in of Wayne Enterprises. It just didn't make sense.

The youthful face of the robber kept appearing in Richard's mind. He couldn't place it, but he had seen the face before. He had definitely seen that face before. He didn't know where, but he knew he had encountered that man once before.

But where?

Before Richard could ponder any further there was a light rapping on the front door. It was not too hard to hear, since his study was connected to the entrance hall. Richard shook his head. People at this time of night? Better not be those Jehovah's Witnesses. He had already told them to get lost twice.

Richard swung open the door of his study and strode across the hall to the front door and opened it up just a crack so he could peek his head through. In the doorway stood a policeman only slightly taller than him (an amazing feat; the only person he knew that was taller than him was Victor), holding two manila file folders.

"Hello Mr. Grayson," the policeman greeted, tipping his cap. "I'm Officer Walsh from the police station. One of my partners said you requested the file on the break-in at S.T.A.R., and the file about your missing wife."

"Yes, I did," he started, pulling the door open fully. "Thank you, sir."

"It was no problem. I was on my way home anyways," Officer Walsh replied, handing him the folders. "I just hope someone around here can solve one of those mysteries. She was a great woman, and we are all praying for her safe return."

"As am I, every moment of every day. Thank you Officer Walsh."

"Your welcome. Have a nice night," he stated in closing, turning on his heel and walking back to his car. Richard closed the door behind him and held the folders at his side as he padded back to his office.

He had a long night ahead of him.

**TT2**


	31. Borderline Obsessions

**A/N**: I know I haven't updated in FOREVER! I already put my apology in my other story's A/N. Please excuse my lateness in chapters. I have spring break thi week though, so I should be updating a little more quickly! Yay!

**Dislcaimer**: I do not own the Teen Titans

**TT2**

**Sunday September 20, 2019**

It was nearly one A.M. Clara was still awake, reading one of her favorite books, curled up in her bed beneath a large blue fleece blanket. There was a single reading light above her head, attached to her headboard, shining upon the fairly new pages.

She turned a page, the only rustle in the silence.

Everyone else was asleep. Kimi had gone to bed early, a little worn from activities of the last few days. Sara and Danny went to bed relatively early, and Taku fell asleep on the couch. Clara had the decency to levitate him down to his room when she went up for a snack. The only one who she could really assume was up late was Kyle, who was doing research on his computer. But, he too had gone to bed about an hour prior.

Clara caught sight of the time, promptly yawned, and then marked her book. Gently she set it down on her nightstand and slouched down into her bed. With one last yawn she reached up and was about to turn off her reading light, before she heard rapping at her window. It could only be one person; Jake.

Clara threw the covers off herself and tip-toed to her window to let him in from the blustery breeze of the night. She pushed her window up with a great amount of force and he tumbled in, coughing slightly and laying on the ground for a second before rolling over and looking up at her.

But this look wasn't one of his normal "I'm-so-cool-you-gotta-love-me" looks. It was a look of pure distress. And Clara couldn't stand it. "I had nowhere to go," he whispered to her, sitting up and leaning over his knees, as Clara continued to watch him. "I had nowhere to go."

Clara slipped down to her knees and hugged him around the neck. He rested his head on her shoulder and did nothing but sit there and breath softly onto her neck. He didn't whine, he didn't mope, he just sat there. It was a while before his arms came around her waist and he hugged her close to him.

After a long ten or fifteen minutes Clara pulled back and looked him in the eye. "What's wrong?" she asked softly, slipping to the ground to sit cross-legged in front of him. "What happened?" She reached up and brushed hair out of his face. "You can trust me."

He smiled. "With my life." Clara smiled back. There was a small silence. "My mom and I got into a fight," he sighed. "She yelled at me because of the paper. She thinks I'm irresponsible, like I can't handle myself. She said I couldn't see you as long as I lived under her roof so I told her I was leaving."

"That wasn't smart, you know," Clara told him sternly.

"I know," he replied. "I just...I couldn't stand the thought of being banned from seeing you."

"As sweet as that is," she started. "You know you have to go back to your mom sometime."

"I know. But would you mind...could I stay with you tonight?" he asked anxiously. "Of course, I'd sleep on the floor, but I can't go back just yet. She probably called her boyfriend to make her feel better and...I just don't want to be there when he is. He makes me nervous."

Clara half-smiled. "Of course."

Clara stood and tore the down comforter off of her bed and laid it on the floor as a makeshift bed and threw down two pillows. "Let's get some sleep, we have to do research in the morning."

Jake nodded avidly, standing up and making his way towards his bed. "Thanks, Clare." He gave her a soft kiss before she climbed into her bed and he situated himself on the ground. "Sleep tight, babe."

"Right back at ya."

It was a few minutes as Clara listened to the incessant tossing and turning of her beau on the floor. Every time he made a move the down would rustle and awake her from her attempts at sleep. It was a while before she finally peered, amused, over the side of the bed. He was lying there with his eyes shut tight, but one green eye peeked open and he chuckled. "I can't sleep."

"I can tell."

He sighed and turned once more.

"That can't be too comfortable," Clara noted.

"It's just fine, don't worry."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't mind if you came up here to sleep. I mean, as long as you keep your hands to yourself." She smirked. "It's gotta be much better than the floor."

"Are you sure? I don't want to invade your privacy or anything," he stated.

"Sweet, but I won't get any sleep while you're down there, so get up here." Jake shrugged and scrambled up to the large and comfortable bed. Clara offered him a little bit of her other comforter and he gratefully slid in.

"Thanks," he whispered in her ear as they huddled close together in the center of the bed. Clara shivered, but it had nothing to do with the cold. "You really are amazing, you know that?"

Clara smiled. "Just go to sleep," she mumbled, kissing his forehead, before settling back into bed next to him.

**TT2**

Clara awoke the next morning with Jake still pressed up against her, snoring lightly, but not obtrusively. His hair was mussed and he had a genuinely peaceful look upon his youthful face. Clara smiled, brushing hair out of his face before slipping the covers off herself and stepping out of bed. She pulled on a pair of sweatpants over the shorts she had been wearing the previous night.

There was a knock at her door, a frantic knock. It was the impatient knock of her sister. "Hold on a second," Clara called.

"No, I'm coming in!" Sara yelled back.

"Sara! Wait! No!" Clara retorted, but it was too late. Sara had let the door slide open and she strode in, but stopped short when she saw her sister and then saw a body in her bed. Worse, Clara had pulled off her tee-shirt to put on a long-sleeved tee-shirt, and was in the middle of putting the shirt on.

This looked bad.

"Clara!" she gasped in an accusatory tone.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Clara started in her fast and I-am-about-to-sweet-talk-you voice. "It's not what it looks like!" Clara looked hesitantly back to the body in the bed and flitted past Sara grabbing her arm as she went. She pulled her counterpart into the hallway. "Look, that's the guy you saw me on the newspaper with, but I SWEAR nothing happened. He got kicked out of his house because he and his mother got into a fight, and he came to me because he had no where else to go when he came to me late last night. I let him stay here, but I swear nothing happened. C'mon, Sare, you know me better than that."

Sara sighed and looked up to her twin sister. "Am I the only one that knows?"

Clara nodded.

"Clara...I'm gonna have gray hairs by the time I'm twenty. If I'm the only ugly Titan I'm gonna blame you," she joked, and Clara laughed feebly. "Oh fine, I'll keep your secret. But if he's gonna stay here any longer, you gotta lie to the Titans and tell him that he's staying the day at the Tower or something. I don't want you sneaking him around."

"I will, I will," Clara agreed.

"Clara?" a soft and croaky voice called. "Clara?"

Clara took Sara's hand and led her back into her room to see Jake had his head popped up, his hair falling into his eyes, his left hand scratching the back of his head. "Hey sunshine."

And then he saw Sara. "Oh shit." He grabbed the covers and tried to cover up his bare chest, stumbling out of the bed and falling on the floor in the process. Clara chuckled.

"You are so cute when you're nervous," Clara told him.

"Ch'ya, love ya too, Clara," he grumbled, standing up and relinquishing the covers to stretch slightly. "I guess there's no cause for alarm that she sees me right now?"

"Nope," Sara stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "But you might wanna put on a shirt."

Jake blushed and bent over to grab his shirt from the ground. He had discarded it the previous night when he had started to overheat, something he constantly did. He slipped it on. The tight crimson shirt with his green plaid pajama pants (_had he come there wearing that?_) made him look like a Christmas tree.

Sara chuckled. "Cute boy you've found," she told Clara, but loud enough for him to hear.

"I resent the word cute when it is referring to me, thank you very much," he retorted, crossing his arms in front of him and taking a defensive stance. "I am, in NO way, cute, adorable, or child-like. I am sexy, brave, and manly." Jake put her arms on her waist.

"Yea, and the author just called you a woman," Sara muttered.

"What?" he asked, clueless.

Sara nodded her head to herself. "Nevermind."

"Ok, ok, now we've had an amazing little conversation, let Sara get out so we can talk," Clara told her counterpart, with a pointed glare. She then glared in Jake's direction so he could back her up. He was looking elsewhere, his arms again crossed in front of him, his weight on one leg. "Ahem," Clara coughed, again very pointedly.

"Oh...uh...yeah. C'mon, Sara, get out. We need to-er-talk," he affirmed.

Sara rolled her eyes. She made a whipping sound underneath her breath and Jake looked taken aback, but before he could retort she had jogged out of the room, calling Kimi's name.

"You better not tell her!" Clara hissed.

"Yeah, yeah," Sara replied airily, her back getting farther and farther away. Clara sighed in relief and let the door slide closed, pressing her back against it with her eyes closed. There was a soft rustling and when she reopened her eyes Jake was standing right in front of her, his arms going for her waist. At first, she thought he was going to hug her (which she wouldn't have minded at the moment), but instead his hands stopped in front of her stomach.

"You look a little tense," he told her, his smile forming into a small smirk.

And so began the tickle fight.

**TT2**

Sara wandered the halls aimlessly. It was a Saturday. Therefore, she had nothing to do. And she really didn't feel like going to work-out. She was sure Kyle would be in there, and she was still mad at him. Of course, as far as she knew, he had made no attempt to say sorry, so why should she forgive him now if he was going to be a jerk about it?

Sara entered the living room and hopped over the couch to sit next to Danny. "What's crackin?" she asked, watching as he desperately tried to beat Taku's score on Catch That Car XII. Taku was a speed demon when it came to video games.

"Nothing..." he trailed off, jerking his body to the left and shaking his head to clear the hair from his eyes.

"Ugh...you're no fun, just like everyone else in this house." Sara turned her head slightly to check the clock; it read six o' clock. Jared should be here any minute, for the 'date' she had set up with him. "I hate life," she began cynically.

"What did you do this time?" he asked.

"I made a fake-date with a guy who really likes me to make Kyle jealous because I want him to like me," she explained in one breath. "It's confusing. Let's just say I'm trying to make Kyle jealous."

"You do know he likes you, don't you?" Danny deadpanned blatantly. Some people would avoid the subject completely, but Danny was a blatant person.

"Huh?" Sara asked, staring at him as if he had three heads. "He what?"

"He loves you. Damn, that kid is borderline obsessed with you," he chuckled. "When we had that sleep-over all he could talk about was you, and then after that kiss all he could do was wonder if you liked him back."

Sara groaned, slapping her forehead with her palm. "AH! Life sucks!" She sunk into her seat, crossed her arms over her chest, and moped. The door behind her hissed open and there was a slight giggling before two forms jumped over the couch and landed haphazardly upon one another. Clara broke out into a fit of laughs upon Jake's lap, rolling over so she fell onto the ground.

"Um...hi?" Danny started, staring awkwardly at the boy in front of him. Then he realized who it was and his eyes widened. Upon seeing the look set in Danny's features, Clara stood to try and quiet him but he kept quiet all his own. He turned back to his game, huffed, and pouted, then shot Clara the dirtiest look he could muster. Freely prancing about with their enemy inside their fortress? Oh she was gonna get shit from him later.

"Hello," Jake started, panting slightly. Clara had just challenged him to a race up the living room, because they were going to watch a movie, but that plan was now shot.

"Anyways..." Sara trailed off. "Should I talk to him? Should I try to explain?" she asked Danny, biting her bottom lip. Boys were very, very confusing.

"I dunno," Danny replied, jerking his body to the right and pulling the controller with him. "I don't know what goes on inside that kid's mind."

"It would help if ya did," Sara huffed. "Whatever. I think I'm going to go talk to him."

"Kyle?" Clara asked, now settling in the seat next to Jake, inconspicuously playing with his fingers while she held his hand. Her counterpart nodded. "Good. Go patch things up with him. I'm sure he'll be ecstatic."

Sara smiled at her twin and confidently stood and began on a stride out the room. "You go girl!" Danny grunted the best he could without tearing any concentration away from his game. "Get your man!"

Sara chuckled lightheartedly and let the door come to a soft close behind her. She took a deep breath and started on her way to the gym, where he was sure to be training his heart out at the moment. She ruffled her hair with one hand and glanced down at her outfit. She was wearing a denim mini-skirt and a blue and white striped polo, to look nice for her date with Jared. They had planned to go to the movies. But what would she do now, if this did work out between her and Kyle?

Sara sighed, and instead began to work on she was going to say. It would be awkward if she just went up to him and said 'Hey, Danny just told me your in love with me, let's hook up, k?'

Oh, she needed a plan.

Sara began practicing a little speech she had just thought of, something that was too long to say here but consisted of, 'I'm sorry, I'm a stupid female activist, I never should've lost my temper at you, and yes I love you'.

Sara was screwed. There were about three million different ways for this to go wrong. This would be worse than battling Baron one-on-one. "It's ok, Sare," she told herself, taking a deep breath. "You trust Danny with your life, and according to him Kyle is in love with you. There's no doubt in my mind that he may have something slightly akin to like for me."

She sighed.

_Screwed_.

Sara took a left into the hallway the gym entrance was located in, still rehearsing her small speech for Kyle. She was now sweating, nervous, and slightly perturbed. She really couldn't believe it took her that long to realize that she couldn't live without talking to Kyle. She'd admit, it had been hard ignoring him.

"But now you won't have to anymore. That is the point of apologizing."

Sara had never been good at apologizing and often carried grudges for very, very long times. There had been a period of time in third grade when she absolutely refused to talk to her sister because she broke her favorite Barbie. If it took her that long to forgive her sister, think how long it would have taken her to forgive Kyle if she didn't have the ability to suck up her pride.

Sara sighed and stood before the gym door, still going over the speech in her head. It slid open before her and she cautiously stepped in. "Kyle? Kyle?" She walked in gently, looking about. It was then, that she looked dead ahead and felt her heart drop.

**TT2**


	32. Love at First Sight

**A/N**: Good news and Bad news: Good news is I will be updating more often since I had an idea boom. Bad news is they will probably be shorter because I don't want to pack too much into a single chapter. Even better news? I've been promoted ot the Varsity Lacrosse team. Yay for me.

**Disclaimer**: If I owned the Teen Titans...well, let's just say the show would be MUCH different...

**TT2**

**Sunday September 20, 2019**

"What did I do wrong?" Jenna asked Victor over coffee the next morning. "What parenting mistakes did I make to have him run off on me like that? Does he hate me? Am I really that bad of a mother?" The waiter came by and put two coffees in front of them. Jenna quickly thanked him before turning back to Victor with her innocent gaze and pouty lips.

"No, no, never think that. You're a great mother. If he just needs time to chill, I'm sure he'll take it and come back to you. He can't stay away forever. I promise, you're not a bad mother, and he doesn't hate you. You didn't do anything wrong."

Jenna smiled softly. "Thanks. But that doesn't stop me from worrying about him. I love Jake, so much it hurts."

"I know you do, Jen. Don't worry, it'll work itself out. He can't have gone too far."

Jenna took a small sip of her coffee. "Speaking of people missing, have there been any developments with Kori yet?"

Vic sighed and rubbed his bald head. "Not yet. Richard and Raven think they might've found evidence of her being somewhere in Florida, but I think they're just desperate to find her. Don't get me wrong, I am too, but they love her more than I could ever. Richard would die for her, and Raven would kill for her. Kori is Raven's best friend, and Richard is Kori's first true love. It's twice as hard on them as it is on me."

Jenna looked away and nervously tapped the rim of her coffee cup. She shifted in her seat and crossed her legs in her tight black skirt. She would have to go straight to work after this, even though it was Sunday. "I wish I could help some how."

"You can help me," he whispered, reaching over the table to take her hand. Jenna looked up through her lashes and smiled at him.

"And how is that?"

"I've been wanting to talk to you about this and I know this isn't the best place, but I want to try and take down the HIVE. Gather up everyone you know to fight against them. I don't want you living with this black cloud over your head. And I'm looking out for Jake, too. I don't want him growing up with this influence," Vic whispered.

"Neither do I, but I need to wait. If I start a rebellion now and fail, they will be furious. I need to wait until they think their plot is successful, and then we can move in. I'll tell you when we can start planning, but for now, don't talk about it. You never know when they are listening," she informed him, making a zipping motion across her lips.

Vic smiled. "Sure." He released her hand and looked at his watch. "Oh, I'm sorry Jen but I have to get to work."

Jenna shrugged. "It's ok, so do I." They both stood and grabbed their coffee cups, sharing a chaste kiss. "I love you. Call me tonight with plans. No doubt I'll be bored out of my mind without my favorite little teenager around."

"I love you, too. I'll talk to you tonight, babe." And with one last lingering glance back, he sauntered out of the coffee shop.

Jenna gathered her things and slung her bag over her shoulder. She walked from the coffee shop and began her half a mile trek to the restaurant she worked at. Her head was swimming, and more than anyhting she was worried about Jake. She had been thinking about him all day, and all night, He invaded her dreams, even when Victor offered to stay the night with her. She took him up on that offer, but since she couldn't think of anything else, she was preoccupied and they ending up just getting to sleep right away, instead of talking like she normally would've preferred.

She tucked her hands into her coat pockets and shrugged herself inside her coat. Life had been getting tougher and tougher since she was assigned to 'woo' Victor. And worse, she had fallen in love with him. And Jake had fallen in love with Clara. This was making things impossible.

And, finally, it hit her. She was being a hypocrite. If she refused to let Jake see Clara but continued to see Victor herself, even if it was dangerous, wasn't that just being a downright hypocrite? This made things much worse.

So, now she was a bad mother, a hypocrite, a liar, a deceiver, and a horrible person in general. Her list was growing by the day. Surely, too, Jake would have a few things to add alongside those.

**TT2**

Richard sat in the chair of his office, his feet on his desk, leaning back, daydreaming. Normally, the perky and jubilant voice of his secretary would snap him out of his daydream at this time of day, but no such luck. His secretary was still missing, and he was still in a funk.

"Star," he asked himself, reaching over to grab her picture from his desk. It was a picture of her when she was younger; they were at the park, dressed normally, and she was wearing a skirt flowing to her knees and a cute top. Kori was twirling with her hair and skirt twirling with her. "Where are you?"

He sighed and put the picture back on his desk. Richard, with the power he held as richest man in the city, had asked the place of the reception and the chapel to hold dates for October 3. If he found Kori in time, they could still hold the wedding. So, he now had two extra weeks to find her, just in case. If he didn't-

Well, he didn't want to think about that.

Richard put his feet down and bent over his work, sighing in frustration as he picked up his pencil and nervously jiggled it. There was a timid knock at his door, and he looked at his clock. "Come in, Raven," he announced, his eyes fixated upon the papers in front of him.

She slipped in quietly and without a word.

"How are you?" he asked without looking up.

"Are the formalities apart of your grieving over losing Kori? Usually when I come into the room you don't bother with that crap," she noted.

Richard sighed, dropping his pencil. He ran his hands through his onyx locks and looked up at her through thick lashes. "I lost her once, Rae. I'm not going to lose her again. Even if I have to give my own life to find her, I will not lose her again."

"I always knew you'd admit it, one day."

"Admit what?" he asked, confused.

"That your love for her overpowers anything anyone else could possibly feel," she whispered timidly, smiling softly. "I remembered as kids you were always so shy about it. Love was new to you, and we all knew that. But Star was the only one who managed to get inside your shell and help you see the beauty in things. And eventually you saw the inner beauty in her, even if the outer was already apparent. It was like love at first fight."

Richard half-smiled. "And I remember how you always said you believed in opposites attract. Too bad you never realized it would pertain to you and Gar. You really do love him, don't you?"

Raven smiled, looking away. A small blush crept across her face. "I do. I have. I always will. I'm just glad he feels the same." Raven walked over to his desk and jumped up to sit on an empty patch, staring him down. "We're a few of the lucky ones to have found love like this."

"And to have best friends like this. You, Victor, Gar. You guys mean everything to me," he whispered.

There was a slight silence, before he stood and enveloped her in a hug. "I love you, Raven. You're my best friend. Don't forget that."

"I won't." She sighed. "We better be getting home soon. We need to start looking for Kori again."

"Ok, I'll be joining you soon. I have some work Bruce sent me, so I'll be home in about an hour, maybe half an hour if I work fast," he told her. "Get along, go rest up. And eat something! You're eating for two, remember!"

Raven smiled. "Don't worry. How could I forget?" She patted her stomach lovingly before walking out of his office with a small smile on her face.

But far, far away, a young Tamaranian woman was crying herself to sleep, a silent coma bringing her even closer to death.

**TT2**


	33. Trust and Love Go Hand in Hand

**A/N**: Um...be glad I'm updating, but don't hate me for what I do next.

**Disclaimer**: I love the Teen Titans, alas mine they are not.

**TT2**

**Sunday September 20, 2019**

Sara tried to move. She tried to speak. She tried to scream, yell, lash out, anything. But time was frozen. All she could see was the innocent gesture that lay before her, of two seemingly innocent people. Two dirty, rotten, seemingly innocent people. Kyle was kissing Kimi. And they both seemed to enjoy it.

They pulled apart and stared at each other. Sara couldn't stand it and turned on her heel, desperate sobs following her. The two occupants of the training room snapped to the door just in time to see a blonde blur. "Oh shit," was their simultaneous response, before attention snapped back to each other, wide-eyed.

Sara ignored the fact that she was only a level away from her own bedroom and instead opted to pass by the open living room door to run up to the roof, in a flurry of tears. Danny may be thick, but he didn't fail to notice, and was up in a second to follow after her. He was only about five yards behind her the whole way, but she didn't realize he was there, and slammed the door in his face when she went hit the cool September air.

Sara collapsed on the ground near the edge and hid her face in her arms, and either didn't notice or ignored the soft click of the door when Danny came out. Her back heaved and fell, and Danny's expression fell at the sight. She was such an innocent person, and he had no idea why Kyle would want to hurt her.

Then again, he had no idea his girlfriend had been kissing another guy.

"Sara," he started softly.

"Go away!" she yelled through her violent sobs.

"Sara..." he trailed off, sitting next to her and rubbing her back gently. "Sara, whatever he said, he's not worth it. No guy is worth your tears. Trust me, we may not be intelligent, but we're not all assholes. Maybe he wasn't the right one."

"That's not it," she cried desperately, looking up at him through her blurry vision. She could barely make out his features. "He didn't say anything to make me cry like this. No guy could. I'm not that dependent." It was all shaky, though, and he could barely understand her. But he got the gist.

"Sare, it's ok, tell me what he did. I'm one of those guys that actually tries to understand other women. I won't pretend I understand, but I'll listen," he told her.

"He was kissing-He was kissing-" And she started crying all over again.

"He was kissing who? Clara?" he asked. She shook her head in disagreement. "Then who?"

"Kimi!" she gasped, and she continued crying.

Danny's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "What?" he asked quietly, truly believing he misunderstood her. He must have.

"It was Kimi." She sat up, cross-legged, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I saw them with my own two eyes, and ran out of there as fast as I could. I couldn't let them see me, and let them know I saw them."

Suddenly, the roof access door flew open and out flying came Kimi, Kyle at her heel. "We can explain," they both started at once.

Danny and Sara both stood up, shakily. "Save it," Danny mumbled angrily, and keeping his head down, stormed past her.

"Danny!" she called. "Danny, wait!" And she flew out after him, down the stairs and supposedly to follow him as he locked himself in his room.

Sara turned her back on Kyle and crossed her arms, sniffling. "How could you do that? Ruin something Kimi and Danny had. Ruin my feelings along with it? You're a monster, Kyle."

She stepped closer towards the edge, looking down upon the pointy rocks below. Kyle was about to respond when her cell phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket and pressed it to her ear. "Look, Jared, I can't talk right now so I'll explain later but I don't think it's going to work out. I'm sorry. Don't bother coming over." She waited for him to say a timid 'ok', and then goodbye, before she hung up and put the cell phone back in her pocket. She turned towards Kyle and crossed her arms, taking on a defensive stance. "You have ten seconds to tell me why I should not just turn you into a Eunuch right now for doing that to three supposed friends of yours."

"I didn't do anything, Sare, believe me! She tripped, and it happened by accident, and it was only a second long. You came right when it happened. We pulled apart instantly, and we both realized what had happened; nothing! It showed me that I only have feelings for one person, and that one person is you!" he told her desperately. Sara was shocked, but would not show it. "Please believe me."

"I wish I could, Kyle." Even though he had just proclaimed his sort-of love for her.

But Sara merely turned and chanted a single mantra, before flying off the building without another look back.

**TT2**

"Danny!" Kimi called in desperation. "Danny, c'mon, don't do this, babe."

"How could you do this to me, Kim?" he asked her, his cries evident through the door. "You knew I loved you more than anything. How could you go off and betray my trust, and just flush that love down the drain?"

"I'm sorry, Dan! I didn't mean to. I swear on my life, I tripped and that's just the awkward position we landed in. Nothing happened. If anything, that kiss showed me how madly in love I am with you. I swear, I would never even think of betraying your love or trust. I care about you far too much. I love you, Daniel Tucker Harrison."

There was a moment of silence, and no response followed. Kimi sighed heavily and leaned against the door. "How can I believe that?" he asked hoarsely. "How am I supposed to believe you?"

"You love me, Danny. You shouldn't have to question if you believe me or not. You should believe me because you know me well enough to never lie to you. You are everything to me. My best friend, my support, my boyfriend, and the love of my life. I may only be a teenager, but I believe I know love, and it's right in front of me."

There was a slight rustling and the door slid open, causing Kimi to stumble. She looked at Danny expectantly, his red puffy eyes and his tear-stained cheeks. "It hurt, you know?" he croaked. "Hearing that you had kissed another guy."

"I know it must've hurt beyond belief, but I promise you it will never happen again, and it shouldn't even have happened in the first place," she whispered. Kimi raised her arms and waited for a signal to see if it was ok to hug him, and he nodded slightly. She smiled and wrapped her arms tight around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder. "I'm so lucky to have someone like you."

Danny was silent for a moment and refrained from hugging her back. "You're on probation, as far as I'm concerned."

"Of course. I don't care. I'd do anything to make sure you're not mad at me. I'd declare my faithfulness to you from the highest mountain I could reach, as cliche and corny as that sounds." Kimi smiled softly to herself. She was such a wussy-romantic.

Danny smiled slightly as they both pulled away. "I wouldn't have you any other way, Kim-bo."

**TT2**

Sara reached a secluded and rather beautiful spot on an island a little less than half a mile from the tower. She had been exploring one day and found it, and surprisingly you could barely see the tower and anyone on the tower couldn't see you. It was a small island that was encircled by beach and led into a valley of trees and a little meadow.

Sara plopped to the sand and hung her head, her elbows resting on her knees. "How can I believe him?" she asked herself. "How can..." she trailed off and changed her question. "How could I have trusted him in the first place? How could I have been naive enough to believe he was one of the good ones. I'll never find one of the good ones."

Old memories resurfaced and tears stung her eyes. "I'll never find one of the good ones. Dirt deserves dirt."

Sara dug her hands into the sand and let it flow through her fingers like water. A wave hit the shoreline just a few feet in front of her and made a soft crash. A crab washed ashore and crawled back into the sea.

Sara sighed. "What to do? Kyle seems so sweet and innocent and he's...perfect! But, is he really? Does he really care about you?"

Sara thought to herself for a few more minutes. An internal battle waged in her mind. Should she let Kyle in, even more than he already was? Or just shut him out and forget about what could've been entirely.

Or, maybe she was just being melodramatic.

It was probably the latter, but she wasn't going to admit it to herself.

Sara sat for a long while more (at least two or three hours, still debating), before sitting up and beginning to fly back towards the tower. She landed on her own windowsill and opened the window from the outside, slipping undisturbed into her own bedroom. It was quiet, and it was bright from the numerous windows, her favorite thing in the world. Quiet and bright was an amazing combination to her.

She fell onto her bed and looked up towards the ceiling, where she had taped a picture of Orlando Bloom.

Hey, she never said she wasn't optimistic.

But, not wanting to look at any guy right now, she turned on her side and looked to her bed stand, where a note lay. She reached for it and slowly let it fall open. She sat up, and read thoroughly.

Sara-

Jake and I went out for a little while for lunch and maybe a movie. Inform the others. We'll be good, won't be back late, and won't get into trouble.

Well, not much.

-Clara.

Sara sighed. Must be nice to have someone love you like that. Her sister was one lucky girl.

Sara fell forward onto her bed and covered her face with her arms. She just wanted to take a nap. A really, really long nap. She didn't want to bother with taking a shower (since she probably needed it), or even getting up in general to do things necessary of humans. She wanted to stay laying on her nice, comfortable, warm bed, laden with its silken sheets. Oh, life would be much simpler if nothing needed to be done but sleep.

Alas, life is not that simple.

"Sara?" a timid voice called as someone knocked on her door. She sighed in annoyance, turned over on her bed, and stared up at a blank spot on her ceiling. "Sara? Are you in there? I want to talk to you."

"Please, Kyle, go away. I don't want to talk," she snapped, her words muffled.

"Sara...Sare...please listen," he begged.

"I said go away! Don't make me hurt you!" she cried in anger.

He was sure she wouldn't, but he didn't want to push. But yet, he did. "Sare, just listen. I'm so sorry. For everything. I'm an asshole, I know, but give me the chance and I can try and make things right. I can try and win back your trust, and keep it. I won't do anything to wrong you again," he pleaded.

But Sara was not to be swayed as Danny had been. She didn't answer.

He sighed, audibly heard through the door. "Sara, I will prove to you that I only care about you like that. And I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you earlier but Clara told me you wouldn't want to talk to me after our fight, and I respected that. I really do like you, Sare, and for however long it takes I will do everything in my power to show you that.""

Again, he was met with only silence. He leaned tiredly against her door and groaned.

This was going to be one hell of a week.

**TT2**

**Wednesday September 23, 2019**

Nobody knew what to do. They just went rigid and lost air and fell back. Their eyes rolled and the two fell stiff to the floor, as if under some sort of spell. They both began to shake uncontrollably and he called out her name, crying hoarsely. He hadn't even gained her trust back, yet, even with all of his sweet actions. But he was never more scared in his life than he was now.

"Sara!" he screamed, and she ceased to notice anything else around her.

Except they were both in different rooms, one in her room, and one in the living room, so no one noticed when Clara went into a comatose state. "Danny!" He called into his communicator. "Get Clara and Taku and bring them up to the living room right away."

Kimi moved in. "Give her air," he ordered, lifting her with all his might onto the couch and then preciously taking her hand. "Let her breath. C'mon, Sare, come back to us." His other hand reached up to brush the golden locks from her face, as he examined her still body. What had just happened?

Suddenly, Sara began shaking, almost like intense shivering. Then she began convulsing again and she emitted small squeaks of terror. "Kyle! Kyle!" came through his communicator, and he whipped it out to see Danny's horrified expression, hearing the same squeaks come from behind him. "Clara's having an episode!"

"Shit!" Kyle cursed. "You or Taku has to carry her up here, and hurry up!" He closed his communicator and put it back into his pocket, before his hand retired to stroking her hair, and his other hand rubbed her arm. "C'mon, Sare." He took her hand. "Pull through. Come back." She began shaking more violently and her back arched and her hips bucked. A shrill scream of terror broke the slight silence.

Kyle continued to try and sooth her, but to no avail. Taku ran into the living room, carrying Clara, followed by Danny. "Is she ok?" Taku and Danny both asked, worried. Taku set her down on the couch near her sister, and Danny took her side, while Taku turned and could barely look at her in such a state. Kimi sat next to her head and began stroking her hair as both of the twins calmed down.

"What just happened?" Taku asked shakily. "Clara...she was so...I was scared for her."

"I don't know, but we need to get them down to the medical bay to transfer their brain waves to the computer to see if we can see what they see," Kyle announced, scooping Sara up in his arms bridal style. "One of you, grab Clara and follow me."

Who would know they would help prevent Kori Anders' death.

**TT2**


	34. Incompetence

**A/N**: Mad, but still updating.

**Disclaimer**: I WISH the Teen Titans were mine.

**TT2**

**Wednesday September 23, 2019**

Richard was pissed. Richard was fuming. Richard was nowhere near the level of sanity that most times he actually managed to maintain. No wonder the town hired the Teen Titans. The town's police force is totally incompetent.

"I told you, he was not the man who I fought!" he screamed for what seemed the thousandth time at the police officer, who now cowered under his intense and hateful glare. "He was taller, with darker hair, darker eyes, and lighter skin! AND HE WAS NOT MISSING AN ARM!"

"Y-Y-Yes, t-terribly sorry, s-s-sir," he stammered, before scampering from the room.

Richard slunk back into a seat, rubbing his temples. "No wonder the town hired us," he murmured. Now, that wasn't redundant.

"We were the only competent people that were equipped to fight crime," came a sardonic voice from the open doorway. Raven, clad in a black pleated skirt and a nice gray button-down, walked into the room, smirking. "They really all do seem mentally challenged, don't they?"

"You're telling me..." he trailed off, sighing. "Stupid cops."

A large man stomped into the room and stared down at Richard in his seat. "You can go, now. Call us if you get a lead on the two cases you've been monitoring." Yea, right.

"Whatever," he mumbled under his breath, before bolting up and starting on a brisk walk out of the room. "C'mon, Raven."

They walked out into the parking lot and Richard slowed his place. His IQ was rising just getting out of there. "You think they'd hire better help," Raven tutted to herself, unlocking her car and sliding in the driver's side door. Richard slid into the passenger seat. "Do you want to go get some lunch before I drop you off at work?" He had taken a break to come down and identify criminals, which had really accumulated nought but a pounding migraine.

"Yea, sounds great," he replied, detached, still thinking of Kori now that his brain activity had wound down. "Say Martucci's Café on Lakeside?"

"Yea, that's good," she replied, also slightly detached. A lot had been going on and she hadn't been thinking about Gar much lately (ok, so that was a lie, he was ALWAYS on her mind, no matter what). Raven went into a tangent, but still managed to pay attention to the road in front of her.

"Thinking about Gar?" Richard asked when he snapped from his own tangent. She nodded sadly, never bothering to turn her head to merely glance at him. "It'll be ok, Raven. If I had to pick one quality about you that I endear the most, it would be your ability to be optimistic. Just be optimistic, and everything will be alright."

"I could say the same for you," she snorted.

"I'm trying, ya know. I mean, at least you know where your fiancee is. I couldn't even begin to fathom where Kori might be right now," he retorted, slinking in his seat and crossing his arms, not defiantly, but rather casually. "I mean, unless you have another vision we might never find her."

Raven nodded to herself. "Why would someone take Kori Anders, the girl engaged to Richard Grayson, and not even ask for a ransom. They didn't even leave any clues! Who does that?" She asked him, slapping her hands on the steering wheel. "This is the worst case we've ever taken on, but I think-"

But Richard's phone rang incessantly. He pulled it from his pocket and pressed it to his ear. "Hello?" he asked.

"Daddy?" Rang the voice of his pride and joy on the other line. "Look, Daddy, we need you to come down to the Tower. We think we might have some information on Mom's whereabouts."

He immediately ordered Raven to take the next right and they were on their way.

Richard arrived at the tower running through the entryway, up eight flights of stars, Raven flying at his heels. He burst into the medical bay, where four teenagers were sitting looking worried, and two identical twins were lying in beds, hooked up to numerous machines. "What happened?" he demanded, striding into the room, Raven at his heels.

"We don't know," Kyle responded, taking his position as leader and standing to meet Richard's gaze. "She was sitting in the living room watching TV and I was making lunch and all of a sudden she just went into some sort of episode. Apparently, Clara went into one at the same time. I had no idea what to do so when they calmed down I took them here to try and use the brain wave converter. So far, the picture's been blurry and the sound's been garbled, but it's getting clearer."

Richard nodded understandingly. "Wait..." Raven started. "What happened, specifically?"

Kimi stood from her armchair in the corner of the room. "They just went silent, and then they started shaking, and convulsing, and screaming..." she trailed off. "We had no idea what was going on."

"They're having visions. Witches of their age and caliber often have visions that start with an episode-like reaction because they're not used to the pain of going into a vision. The vision should become clearer on the screen," Raven explained.

Richard and Raven both turned to the screen. "Why did you say it might have some information pertaining to Kori's whereabouts?" Richard asked his daughter.

"Because before we heard the name Kori being used before it scrambled again," Kimi replied, her hands clasped behind her back. "We thought that when it became clear you'd probably want to see it."

The screen was unclear and garbled, but it was noticeably getting clearer. Everyone grabbed a chair and pulled it in front of the screen, save for Danny, who was sitting next to Sara's bed. He was worried for her. I guess you could say they became close friends since they moved in.

All of a sudden, the screen cleared and it turned dark, with a small sliver of light shining against a woman's pallid face. It was Kori. "Mom!" Kimi gasped, and turned to look at her father, who was speechless. She appeared to be unconscious. They watched as a scene unfolded before them.

The room lit up with a fair amount of light to see her unconscious, dangling from chains in the walls, her head tipped forward. She was covered with dirt and grime, covered in cuts and bruises, and smeared with her own green blood. "Kori!" Richard squeaked, covering his mouth in horror. "Who did that to her!" His anger flared and he stood from his seat, teeth gritting. "When I find out who took her..." he made a snapping noise and twisted a neck of air in his hands.

"Sh!" Raven ordered, listening intently.

"What to do now, master?" came a sickening hiss of a man.

"We wait. It'll be in 24 on Earth. It won't be hard to play it off as confusion. From then on, I will have no use for her. The elixir will take effect, she will go into the coma, see her fiancee kissing me, and choose to die. I will marry her fiancee, and we will live happily ever after. That's what she gets for defying me," a sly, womanly voice announced with a bitter laugh.

"Who is that?" Richard asked, clueless, trying to piece together everything he had just heard to try and figure out who she was. "And why is she so sure that Kori will see me kissing her? What the hell is she talking about?"

Raven's face dawned with comprehension and she gasped. "I've heard that voice before. That woman. I know who she is...I know who she is..."

A black mass crowded the screen and came to rest on her knees in front of Kori. Long, black nails came up and caressed her face, and she instantly snapped awake. Kori's eyes adjusted and she focused on the person in front of her. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice quivering. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because I don't love you, Starfire,"this voice sounded like Richard's. A lot like Richard's. "I have never loved you. It's all been one big lie. And I'm not sorry." A single thick and manly fingee trailed down Kori's cheek and Kori winced visibly. "Don't worry, the pain will be over soon."

Kori gasped and fell limp. The figure turned towards the screen and smirked. And what everyone saw shocked them, since the smirking face was none other than Richard Grayson.

"Yes, the pain will be over soon," the Richard-impostor on the screen continued. "Or I'm not-"

But it was then that Sara and Clara chose to snap to alertness, both waking with vigor, as they shot up and screamed. "Calm down!" Kyle called, venturing over in between their beds. "It's ok. You guys are in the tower right now. No need for alarm."

"We know who kidnapped Kori!" Sara and Clara both announced, despite Kyle's attempts to shut them up.

"What?" Kimi asked. "How? Weren't we seeing what you were seeing?"

"No, because when the screen was garbled that was a bad connection on our part, not on their part," Raven announced. "They saw everything we didn't."

"Enough!" Richard interjected. "Who was it? I want to know what sick bastard has been telling my Kori that I don't love her!" He stared eagerly at them, his eyes pleading.

The twins looked at each other, and both bit their lips. "We don't know. But we saw her face. She looked almost exactly like Kimi, except about Kori's age," Sara explained.

"But, that's impossible," Kimi reasoned. "The only reason I look like I do is because I'm a half-child. Half-children are the crossbred children of Tamaranians and Humans. Almost all half-children have black hair and purple or blue eyes, and a face structure near to what I have. I'm the perfect example of the stereotypical half-child. There aren't any full-humans that look like half-children. It's impossible."

"But...But..." Richard trailed off, sputtering. "There has to be an answer! There has to be some sort of possibility somewhere. Kori can't just be kidnapped by some psycho that looks like my daughter. I mean..." _Some psycho that looks like my daughter_. "BLACKFIRE! IT WAS BLACKFIRE!" He suddenly yelled. "It was her! I was positive that Kimi looked like Blackfire the first time I ever saw her! And that explains everything else. The whole 'that's what you get for defying me', the man calling her master, everything. It has to be Blackfire!"

"That does make sense," Raven reasoned. "And she's probably on Tamaran, too! That's why we couldn't connect with her! My powers can't go to other planets or dimensions. It all fits now."

"Uh..who's Blackfire?" Kimi asked.

"Your mother's sister. She's been a jealous bitch ever since Kori was born. But I never knew that she was a half-child. Apparently she was the cross-bred child. That's probably why she was so jealous of Kori all the time," Richard mused.

"But, even if we could get to Tamaran, we don't know where this 'Blackfire' character is!" Danny started.

"Then we'll raid the whole planet if we have to," Richard stated through gritted teeth, a bloodthirsty look in his eye.

"It'll take me two days to get the engine repaired and ready for take-off," Taku told him. "I'll need a few spare parts but it should be in working order still. Will that be ok?"

"I'll see if I can get Cyborg to help you so we can commence take-off faster than that. I'll be busy for the next two days in work, so I can't help but I wish I could. But on Friday, when the ship is ready, I'll be coming over bright and early so we can make-up a plan of action. This will be your first big mission since joining the Titans," Richard informed them.

Kimi sighed and fell back into her armchair. "These next two days are going to be tiring, aren't they?"

Everyone turned to her and nodded.

"Great."

**TT2**


	35. Way to Go, Romeo

**A/N**: SOOO EXCITED! I'm going to Boston this weekend but I'll ahve my laptop so I might update on the car ride there. Yay for you!

**Disclaimer**: I wish I owned the Teen Titans...

**TT2**

**Thursday September 24, 2019**

It was a quiet day in Titans' Tower the next day. Sara woke up and showered, dressing down in jeans and a baggy tee. She quickly brushed her hair and applied eyeliner, before letting herself be drawn by the intoxicating aroma of pancakes that filled the Tower. She opened up her door and found a bundle of red roses at the foot of her door. She sighed and shook her head to herself. "Poor boy," she murmured, bending down to pick them up. The day before it had been chocolates, and the day before THAT it had been a mixtape with a nice silver and baby blue bracelet. Sara took them into her room and put them into an empty vase. Then, a small white card fell out.

Sara picked it up from the floor and held it up, reading slowly.

_Sara-_

_I know I'm not exactly the most romantic person in the world. Hell, twelve years with Bruce has put me into an emotionless shell. But I'm learning. I'm learning to let people in because you and the other Titans mean a lot to me._

_And, I'm afraid to say that I've never really been in a real relationship before and I know nothing about the opposite sex. But I'll still try to "woo" you the best I can because I care about you._

_-Kyle_

Sara half-smiled and laid the card before the vase on her bedside table. She then began again on her way up to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. Danny came out from his room, dressed in cargo shorts and a lacrosse tee. "Hey there," she started, smiling warmly. "How's life?"

"Great. Kimi and I have a stronger relationship now. Don't tell Kyle, but we snuck out the other night to go to a movie. It was awesome being out and not worrying about anything for once," he told her. "How are you and Kyle?"

"Eh," she responded heartlessly, shrugging. "I'm still really pissed at him but I can't remember whyanymore. I guess I'm just mad at him because I'm the scared one here."

"Hm?" he inquired.

"I just...I'm not sure if it's smart going into a relationship in this position. What if someone wanted to use him against me?" Sara asked, chewing her bottom lip. "I don't want to lose him to someone, I care about him that much."

"That's the same reason why we don't act like we're going out when we're in public. Kimi and I both know that since we're Titans people will use the people we care about as weapons. It's a hard business," he sighed. "But we get by." Danny stuffed his hands into his pockets and scuffed at the floor.

"I wish I could learn to get by."

Danny took one hand from his pocket and patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sure it'll work itself out, Sare. C'mon, the kid's been moping because he loves ya that much. You think you could cut him a little slack?" He asked.

"I know, I've forgiven him, it's just my own insecurities getting in the way now. I want to be close to him, he's definitely the most amazing guy I've ever met, but I just...if you knew me, you'd know that I don't trust people easily. Especially with my heart. I've been..." she trailed off and sighed. "Hurt...in the past. I don't want it to happen again."

"It wouldn't. Kyle cares about you so much. He'd never let anything happen to you," Danny told her softly. "Trust me. Guys bond quickly. It may not seem like it, but they share their secrets too. Kyle, Taku, and I have shared more than a few secrets. We're downright tight like jeans on an emo boy."

Sara giggled. "That was funny."

"Thanks."

They entered the living room/kitchen together to see Kimi, Taku, and Kyle already eating, Kimi and Taku talking jubilantly. "So, did you get the roses?" Danny asked her.

"How did you know?" she questioned.

"I told you, we boys share secrets." Sara smiled and nodded, in regards to his previous question. "He'll be happy to hear."

They both sat down at the table, Danny next to Kimi giving her a peck hello, and Sara next to Taku, across from Kyle. "I'll grab ya a plate, Sara," Danny told her, reaching into the cabinet to grab two plates. He set one down in front of Sara and kept one for himself.

"Thanks."

Sara grabbed two pancakes and slowly began to eat, keeping her head down. She could feel Kyle's gaze on her, and then heard his slight sigh. It was so quiet that you couldn't hear it in the noisy room, but she could. Sara slowly looked up to see he had gone back to eating his pancakes, silent, one hand in his lap and the other pushing around little pieces on his plate.

"Is Clara still sleeping?" she asked the table.

"Yea," Kimi replied. "I knocked, and I got no answer, so I went inside and saw the lump on her bed. She's out like a light."

**TT2**

Clara groaned as she awoke, waking up next to Jake, one of her arms across his abdomen, her head tilted against his arm. He shifted slightly and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. "Hey there," she started, her eyes slowly peeking open, to see his head blocking out the sun. She chuckled. "Nice bedhair."

Then it dawned on her.

"Oh God!" she snapped awake and shot up straight. "You've got to be kidding me. You kept me out all night? What were you thinking? Kyle's gonna flip a shit!" Clara jumped up and gathered her things into a small backpack she had brought with her when she went out with Jake the night before.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. He would've done something by now if he noticed you were gone. I mean-" it was then that he pulled his cell-phone out of his pocket and looked at the time. "Fuck!" he yelled, and a mother nearby clamped her son's ears shut (they were in a park, and had been sleeping on a spread blanket). "I have to get home, right now!" He started, jumping up and stuffing everything into his own bag. "I have a heist to pull off in thirty minutes. Warn the Titans, at the Mall on Central Street, because you still won't beat me," he said in one breath, rushing about, but stopped to smirk at her.

"So confident," she breathed, swinging her bag over her should, before coming forward to kiss him roughly. "I gotta go. I'll warn them. Later, babe."

Clara took off, and began flying back to the Tower. Within ten minutes she had clamored into her window and quickly changed into her Pjs to pretend she had just stumbled out of bed, ruffled her hair a bit, and smacked her lips. She successfully achieved the 'just woke up' look.

The young magician then began on a fast stride towards the kitchen and once she entered, she stumbled in, her eyes half-lidded. It shocked her, sometimes, with how good she could act. She groaned and said "Whas for breakfast?"

"Pancakes," Sara announced.

"By the way," Clara started, taking a seat and merely using Sara's empty plate after she announced she was finished. "I want to go to the mall today. Any way we can make a team trip? We haven't done anything very group-ish in a while."

"Sounds like fun," Sara started, smiling happily. "What does everyone else say?" There was a murmur of approval and Kimi looked absolutely delighted. "Great!" Sara exclaimed. "I really have wanted to go shopping with the money I got from Michelle. Over two-hundred bucks." Sara smirked.

"Michelle? Who would give you that much money?" Kimi asked.

"Our mother," the two twins responded in unison. Kimi nodded in comprehension. "So, how about now?" Clara asked. "Good a time as any," she told them, adding a shrug to look inconspicuous.

"Why do you want to go to the mall?" Danny questioned, one eyebrow raised. "I thought you were morally opposed to so many preps in one place.

"I am, but I saw this shirt in Hot Topic that's to die for," she lied. _And my villainous boyfriend told me he's pulling off a heist somewhere in the mall on Central Street. No biggie._ "And I thought the whole team might like to go."

Danny turned to Kyle and shrugged, who then turned to Taku who seemed to be thinking about it. "Whatever," he complied, shrugging. "Sounds like a plan."

They all piled into a more modern and less lethal version of the T-car (which had the names and logos of the new Titans on it) while Kyle slipped into the driver's seat. He had been taking online driving courses and received his driver's license a few days prior, being sixteen. He started up the car, made sure they were all buckled in, and they lurched to a start.

It was a fairly short drive, and they were chattering all throughout, until Kyle parked in the front of the parking lot and they ventured inside. Kyle suggested they split up, but Clara insisted they stay together at least for the first thirty minutes. Sara and Taku both found this slightly odd of her behavior, but no one questioned it.

And then, the alarm rang.

"You've GOT to be kidding me!" Kyle exclaimed in exasperation. "One day! I'd like one day without being interrupted from something that could possibly be promising for fun."

The mall alarm rang and the monotonous voice ordered the regular people out of the mall, saying that an emergencywas now taking place within it's walls. Kyle brought his whole team into a deserted corner and let Sara and Clara change them into their uniforms, before the timeless phrase was shouted and they were on their way to the jewelry store. "It holds the largest ruby this side of Gotham City, so we'll be wanting to make sure that is safe," Kyle ordered.

So that's what Jake was after, Clara mused.

All of them landed (each of them having flown in their own way) down in front of the jewelry store and rushed in immediately. Except, they weren't alone. There were two other people in the jewelry store, besides Baron. One took a woman's physique, and the other took a man's, but they were both fully clothed, from head to toe, in black, with only silver belts offsetting the dark shade.

"Any last words, Baron?" Hawk asked through gritted teeth, getting into the traditional ass-kicking pose.

"Yeah, suck my-" he started, but Clara's voice came between the two.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Clara interrupted, perturbed but hiding a small smile. "Let's watch our language, kiddies!"

"Fine, let's skip to the fighting!" Baron declared, charging forward and taking Kyle head-on.

Sara and Moonfire paired to the woman and Taku and Danny took the man while Clara backed up Hawk, though he was doing fine by himself. The man, though, pulled out a knife and began stabbing towards Taku and Danny. "Danny, Moon, switch!" Hawk yelled, and they immediately switched fighting places so Danny was now fighting the woman and she was fighting the man. "Clara, fall in!" Hawk ordered and when Baron aimed a punch he flipped back, aimed his grappling hook, and swung away into the rafters.

Clara fell in, as ordered, and smirked maliciously. "Hey babe," she started, swirling her arms in an intricate fashion and spitting out a curse of hers. Baron fell to the floor just in time to avoid it, and instead it hit one of the jewelry store's workers that was holed up in the corner.

"Likewise," he retorted. "Ready to get beat by your one and only favorite Jake?" He aimed a low kick towards her mid-section but she jumped backwards and came forward with a fake, then a high kick. It caught him off guard and he was sent to the ground, but jumped back up and cracked his jaw. "No biggie. I won't be the only one tasting the blood in my mouth tonight."

"How are you so sure, Don Juan?" she asked, an eyebrow cocked above what seemed normal for any human.

"Because you can't resist me. I'm downright sexy."

Clara snorted, getting even more into the fight to show him she was NOT some damsel in distress. "Keep telling yourself that."

Hawk returned and winked towards Clara to show him the ruby was safe, but it was then that Danny was wounded by the woman, so Taku took his place and Hawk took the man. "Moon," he ordered. "Go take Sara's place and send her over here."

Sara appeared right beside him and they perfectly planned a double kick that left the man in great pain, but leaping back up. He again pulled a sharp and dangerous weapon from his tool belt and in an instant's notice he drove it into Hawk's shoulder. "NO!" Sara screamed and pushed the man back, watching Kyle fall to the ground out of the corner of her eye. She summoned up one of her darkest spells. One of the worst things ever created in the known world of magic (that didn't result in death), and sent it straight towards the man. He fell to the ground in crippling pain, grabbing his sides and rolling each way. "Don't you DARE touch him ever again!" she yelled, turning to land on her knees by his side. His eyes were wide open but blood was pouring from a stab wound on his shoulder, deep. He would pass out in a few minutes if it kept going.

"BARON, MOVE OUT!" the woman called, grabbing the man and hoisting him onto her back, using a grappling hook to jump onto the rafters and disappear from their sight.

"Kyle, are you ok?" she asked him worriedly, her fingers moving up his arm to rest just before the wound.

"I'm ok. The bone stopped the blade," was his lame attempt at a joke. Sara gasped and her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Hold on, this might hurt a little,"she told him, before she took the handle firmly but gently and pushed his shoulder back so the blade slid out. She dropped it onto the ground as the other Titans gathered and watched the scene unfold. Sara pressed a ripped piece of her cape against the wound before chanting her healing mantra. It healed somewhat, and the bleeding stopped, but a deep and open wound still remained.

"Am I ok?" he asked, hissing in pain and closing his eyes in a deep concentration. He squealed slightly, but pretended as if he didn't.

"You're fine, but this might hurt a bit more," she told him, before chanting another mantra. Out of nowhere a needle and thread popped out and began stitching up the slash.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow," Kimi began murmuring, covering her eyes. Danny looked away and made a sound a lot like gagging, and Clara looked indifferent. Taku seemed to be taking it fine, but his eye twitched every so often.

When the thread and needle were done, they both disappeared. Sara ran her hand over the stitched slash and hissed, even though it wasn't her pain. "Does it hurt?"

"No," he bald-face lied.

"Stop being so noble," she told him. "It might kill you some day."

"As long as it makes you happy, I'll never stop."

"Quit it with the cheesy lines, Romeo," Sara told him, looking him in the eyes and raising an eyebrow. "You're not that slick."

"I try, though."

"I can see that."

Sara sighed and watched him as he sat up, using only one arm with the other pressed against his chest. Sara chanted a few foreign words and the arm was immediately in a sling. "Thanks," he sighed. Sara surged forward and hugged him tight, before pulling back and slapping his good shoulder.

"Don't ever scare me like that!" she screeched. "Gosh."

"It got you to talk to me again," he started with a smile.

"So you did that just to talk to me again?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"No, but it worked great."

"Loser."

**TT2**


	36. Miss Appear

**A/N**: ok I know this is a longshot but if any of my viewers went to see the final four and the finals for women's lacrosse at Boston University, I hope you are as amazed as I am. And I'm SOOO happy that Northwestern won. I LOVE Northwestern.

**Dislcaimer**: I do not own Teen Titans. I wish.

**TT2**

**Thursday September 24, 2019**

Richard was sitting at home, in his office, listening to the soft rumblings of the television outside of his office. He was taking a day off, even though it wasn't really a day off since all of his work was with him at home. He sighed and tapped the pencil against his desk, trying to multiply 5.5 and 6,500 in his head.

This was not working.

Richard crossed his arm on his desk and let his head fall into his arms, and, hearing the sound of his own breathing, started to fall asleep. If it weren't for the incessant ringing of the God-damned doorbell in his ears. Did he mention he had a horrible migraine?

"I'll get it!" Richard yelled to Raven, who had presumably fallen asleep on the couch while watching cartoons. He stood from his desk and walked around, briskly striding from his office. The onyx-haired man kept his stride across the spacious and elegant entryway, before stopping at the door to comb his fingers through his hair and look as if he was not severely perturbed at the moment. Yea, like that would happen.

Richard opened up the door and his jaw fell. "Kori?" he asked softly, seeing the shy and unsure form in front of him. He stepped forward and examined her, to make sure it was really his wife-to-be. Yes, it was the exact same person. "KORI!" he screamed and surged forward to hug her tight to him, his arms tight around her waist and hers tight around his neck as he swung her around. She giggled excitedly. "Oh, Kori, it's really you?"

He pulled back but wouldn't set her down, and she smiled. "It's me, Richard." His smile would've dropped if he weren't so damn happy, for her voice sounded so different. And she actually used a contraction for once! "It's really me. I'm back."

"But, Kori, how? I heard Blackfire's plan." He set her down and looked her in the eye, and her jubilant smile seemed to drop.

"W-well, yes," she started unsurely. "I found out it was my sister a few days after she kidnapped me. Her whole plan was to try and steal you from me, but I couldn't let her do that! I was able to break out, and I immediately came back to you."

"Oh, Kori," he started and slowly came forward to kiss her tenderly. "You have no idea how hard it was for me without you. I love ya, Kor."

"Richard...I love you, too," she told him, before leaning in to kiss him again, and this kiss lasted longer. Richard was again suspicious, but ignored the fact that her kiss seemed much different than from before she disappeared. Unfortunately, his inquisitive nature was not working as it used to and he did nothing but shrug.

**TT2**

Victor wanted to surprise Jenna that day, so he took his lunch break at the restaurant where she worked. He entered quietly and was shown to a table, before quickly sitting down. Jenna came out, carrying a platter of food, and her expression turned jubilant once she saw him. Jenna quickly unloaded the food and took the seat across from Victor, putting the platter in her lap. "I love you! Please save me from this torture. I'm on lunch in two minutes."

Vic chuckled. "Love ya too, babe."

Jenna giggled, stood, then disappeared into the back room, coming out two minutes later without her tray but looking exactly the same. She took the seat across from him and smiled warmly. "How's life?"

"Great, you?"

"Horrible," she retorted, sighing, then looking up through tired eyes. "Can we skip lunch and take a walk? We need to talk."

Victor consented and they began walking towards the nearest park, which wasn't too terribly far. They both had their hands stuffed in their pockets, and both were in meditative states. They were in silence until they reached the park, and making sure no one was around, Jenna started talking. "You know how the HIVE has this whole big plan?" Jenna asked.

"Mhm," he agreed.

"Well, we're on to the next step. We have some super-secret something we're trying to duplicate, so now we've started pulling off heists and now we're expected to try and hurt the Teen Titans, because eventually we're going to need the moxy to-well-kill them," she told him softly.

"What?" he asked, stopping to turn around and stare her down. "But you won't, will you?"

"Of course not. But Jake is expected to be able to take care of Clara, and Sara's my responsibility. They've hired a new man to replace Matty, since no one's found him yet, and he nearly killed Kyle today. Stabbed his just above the heart in the shoulder," Jenna told him. "It was horrible. I immediately withdrew them from the fight and yelled at him for being such an imbecile."

"I heard about that. About Kyle. Don't worry, he's fine, Sara patched him up," he told her, to make sure she didn't feel any compunction for being a part of it.

"Thank God. I could never do that to another human being. Well, not after I started having second thoughts about the whole being a badass thing," she told him, as they continued walking along the gravel path.

"Well, I'm glad," he told her, and another silence filled their conversation.

**TT2**

It had been a seemingly short day, after informing everyone of Kori's mysterious reappearance. Not even Kimi knew yet. Richard wanted to wait until he had time to bring her to the tower, tonight, but something had come up. Raven was reading in her bed as Kori ate like a monster down in the kitchen. Richard was in the kitchen with Kori, watching her scarf down food. That aspect of her really hadn't changed.

"I was thinking we could go visit Kimi after this. She'll be ecstatic to see you again," Richard started, with a slight smile. "Y'know, you are her favorite person in the world."

Kori looked up at him. "Oh, uh, yea. Where does Kimi live?" she asked.

Richard furrowed his brow at her. "Titans Tower. She's a Teen Titan," he told her, watching her suspiciously.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot," she responded with a reassuring smile.

"Yea, it's understandable," he lied, before standing and quietly leaving the room. He had left the room, when he mumbled to himself, "What the hell".

Richard was heading towards his room, before he stopped and knocked shyly on Raven's door. Upon hearing her consent, he slowly entered. He was silent for a few moments, standing at the doorway, until he came forward and sat on the side of her bed, staring hard at the cover of her book.

"She's not herself," Raven first stated. "That's not the Kori we know." She had noted many behavior changes with her best friend, and finally concluded that something in solitary with Blackfire had changed her, somehow. She was not the same.

"But what's wrong with her?" Richard asked softly. "What happened up there on Tamaran?"

"We can only guess, Richard," Raven told him, looking up through her thick lashes, before sighing and setting her book-marked book down. "But the one thing we know for sure is that Blackfire changed her somehow."

"But...what if Blackfire didn't change her. What if she changed. What if she's not the woman I fell in love with? I mean, she forgot about our own daughter! The girl she raised and loved for thirteen years! What if I end up spending my whole life with a woman that really isn't the woman I love?" he asked her.

"I can't tell ya what would happen," she told him matter-of-factly. "You have to make the call, Rich. You're good at that. You've always been a headstrong decision-maker. Is she really the woman you love?"

"But-"

"I'm not finished. Or do you have to confront her about this mood change? Can you go up to her and ask her what's wrong? Is she normal enough that she would understand if you said you noticed something was wrong?" she asked. "Maybe I'm just babbling now, but you know I do that when I'm worried. And I'm worried. That is not my best friend."

"And that's not my wife."

"Besides the fact that y'all ain't married yet," came the strong masculine voice of their African-American best friend in the doorway. "I let myself in."

"Good, we need to talk," Richard started. "You noticed too?"

"Hell yea I noticed. I wasn't about to go through my day not noticing Kori using contractions and speaking in perfect Slang," he started, coming into the room and closing the door.

"You know that's an oxymoron," Raven pointed out.

"You get my point, oh Princess of Darkness," he retorted playfully. "That is not the Kori we know!"

"That's what I just said!" Richard started again. "She was been so different. Even the little things. When I try and be romantic, she pushes me away, and her kiss is so different. It's just the way she smells, looks, sounds, tastes, feels! I can't stand it. What's going on?"

"Richard, if you can get me the tape of Sara and Clara's vision, and the security tape in the med ward, I might be able to help you," Raven told him. Richard thought for a moment, stood from the bed, and left the room quickly. Victor took a seat at the end of the bed and stared hard at his best friend.

"How could it help us?" he asked.

"Something Blackfire said. Trust me," she assured him.

Richard returned several minutes later with his laptop in his hands, closed. He sat next to Raven once more and opened it up, pressing a few buttons before turning to show her the screen. "Kimi was able to transfer the files directly to my computer from the Titans' Mainframe," he told her, as she watched the tape fizzle and crackle into a darkened jail cell.

Raven fast-forwarded the tape just a little bit to hear her hiss, "It will be in 24 on Earth. It won't be hard to play off as confusion". Raven furrowed her brow. You could practically see the gears turning in her head.

"When was this tape recieved?" Raven asked.

"The time of day is at the bottom of the screen," Richard told her.

6:56

"And when did Kori arrive today?"

"I don't know," Richard trailed off. "I'd say aboutsevenat nightbecause it was aboutan hour after we came back from dinner."

In 24 on Earth. 24 hours. It won't be hard to play off as confusion. Play off her reappearance as confusion. Raven gasped. "She wants to marry you!" Raven breathed. They both looked at her expectantly. Raven grabbed the cell phone from her bedside table and looked in the contacts to find Taku's cell-phone number. She pressed the small device to her ear, and let it ring once, twice, three times, before he finally picked up.

"Yello?" he asked tiredly.

"Taku! It's me, Raven. How fast can you have the T-Ship done?" Raven asked excitedly, jumping up and placing the laptop aside, and rushing to her closet to grab a few things. He replied that it was already done, save a few minor adjustments. "Get to it right now. Richard, Victor, Jenna, and I will be over there in thirty minutes. Wake the other Titans (it was now about eleven) and tell them to be ready. Don't ask, I'll explain later."

Taku agreed and hung up, just as Raven did too. "Cyborg, go to your house and grab things you'll need for an overnight trip to Tamaran." Victor stared at her strangely.

"Cy-"

"You heard what I said, now go!" Raven ordered, and he scrambled out.

"Raven, what's up?" Richard asked.

Raven grabbed a duffel and stuffed her items inside, and looked tiredly up at him. "You ready to reunite the Titans? You know, minus BB?" Richard furrowed his brow at her and stepped forward, slowing her impatient hands on the broken zipper of the duffel.

"Raven, what is wrong?" he asked, stressing each word.

"You're right, Richard," she told him softly. "That isn't Kori. Kori is still on Tamaran, and she might die if we don't get to her soon enough."

"But, if that isn't Kori, who is it?"

Raven sighed and looked up at him through her thick lashes. "Blackfire."

**TT2**


	37. En Fuego

**A/N**: I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever. I'm bad to you guys, I know. But I have a laptop and I'll be on a plane tomorrow for three hours with nothing but said laptop, so consider that your reward for waiting.

**Disclaimer**: Me Tarzan. You Jane. Teen Titans no mine.

**TT2**

**Thursday September 24, 2019**

"Wake up, Titans! Wake up!" Taku's voice rang throughout the Tower over the intercom. He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he waited for the Titans to come up to the living room, and it took at least five minutes before the first arrived. It was Sara, and she was rubbing her eyes and yawning profusely. She came to stand in front of Taku and stretched, lifting her baggy blue flannel button-up over her belly button. Her legs were clad in baggy flannel pants matching her shirt, and her feet were in blue fuzzy slippers. She was clutching the hand of a torn-up teddy bear.

"What's up?" she asked hazily, falling back onto the couch and, using her hands as a pillow, began to nap. "Why did ya have to wake me from a perfectly good dream? I was dreaming that I was-oh, wait-nevermind," she finished, somewhat confused.

"I'll explain, don't worry," he reassured her as someone entered the room. It was Kimi, dressed in a black tank-top and a pair of grey sweats. She was carrying a small blue stuffed animal. "Tired, Kim?" he asked.

"AH!" she yelled, her eyes half-lidded and her voice scratchy. "Whadya do that for?" she asked dumbly, standing next to Sara and hugging her stuffed animal close to her. "I was asleep. It's frickin eleven at night."

Taku ignored her whining as two more people entered the room, Kyle and Danny. Kyle was in sweat pants with his boxers showing, with his chest bare (to which Kimi stated was inappropriate). Danny was in green boxers and a white wifebeater, but you could clearly see the bullet wound on his shoulder. Danny went directly to Kimi and she sandwiched her animal between them while resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm so tired," she mumbled.

Kyle took a seat next to Sara, who did nothing at first but then awkwardly leaned against him. In case you've been wondering, nothing had much changed between them since that afternoon. They had shared their witty banter, but things went back to the way they had been.

But maybe a trip to Tamaran could change all that.

Or make it worse. Who knows.

"Where's Clara?" Sara asked after about five minutes. "I know my sister loves to sleep, but she definitely should've woken up by now."

"I'll program a loud alarm on her communicator," Taku started, taking out his communicator and using it to hack onto Clara's and set a loud alarm. He pressed ok and almost instantly Clara's face appeared on his screen.

"What was that for?" she snapped. She didn't seem tired at all. Suspicious. "It's eleven at night, Taku, what are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same thing! Where are you?" It was meant as a rhetorical question, but she sputtered for a few minutes, believing she had been found out. "I told you all to be up in the living room ASAP. Get your little butt down here or I'm coming to get it."

Her eyes bugged slightly, but Taku didn't notice. "Don't worry, I'll be right up!" was her enthusiastic response. Clara closed her communicator and put it back into her pocket, re-tightening her grip around Jake's waist. "Jake, I need to get back to the Tower, NOW!" she ordered.

"Your wish is my command," he murmured in reply, before revving it up. He popped a wheelie before they were on their way back to Titans' Tower. Clara bit her lip nervously. She knew she was about to be found out. There was no way she could pull this off.

Taku tapped his foot impatiently in the living room. Richard, Raven, Victor, and Jenna should all be here soon. And if Clara didn't haul her ass out of bed soon... Taku sighed and kept impatiently tapping his foot, watching Danny and Kimi talk silently.

"Jake, drive faster!" Clara insisted. "I really have to get home or they're going to find out I wasn't home at all!"

"I thought you told me they knew you went out tonight!" he retorted.

"Ok, sorry, I lied, but you can't blame me. Kyle suspended my privilege to leave the Tower alone," she told him. They drove for a few more moments (that felt like an eternity to Clara) before he was skidding to a stop in front of Titans Tower. Clara pulled off her helmet and laid it on his lap, giving him a sweet and short kiss good bye. With one last glance back she opened up a portal and let it bring her to her room.

"Oh, that's it, I'm going to go get her," Taku started, on his way out of the room. "Your sister," he directed towards Sara with a roll of his eyes.

Clara tripped over her stool in her haste to the closet and swore loudly. She tore off her risque top and pulled over it a baggy black band tee-shirt. Obsessive compulsive, she had to throw it in her hamper, and when she missed she had to pick it up (she could not stand an unclean closet...go figure). Clara then ripped off her jeans.

"Clara!" Taku called. He was right outside her door. "I'm coming in!"

SHIT!

Clara pulled on a pair of dark blue shorts and grabbed a black sweatshirt, pulling it over her head while mussing up her hair. She remembered she still had make-up on and quickly chanted a mantra to make it clean itself off. She skid to a halt in front of the door just as it slid open. "Hello?" she asked dazedly.

"C'mon, we're all in the living room waiting for you. What took you so long?" Another rhetorical question, and he turned on his heel and began a brisk stride back towards the living room.

Behind him, Clara smirked devilishly.

**TT2**

Richard, Raven, Kori, and Jenna all arrived at the tower within five minutes after they all gathered at the tower. They all entered the living room, looking tired and yet alert. "Dad!" Kimi started. "What are you doing here?"

"Escaping the clutches of your supposed mother, that's what I'm doing," he responded, coming around the couch flanked by his friends to face the Titans all sitting on the couch. "Kimi, I know I should've told you immediately, but your mother came home late this afternoon. But don't get excited, because it wasn't really your mother."

Kimi had looked ecstatic, but then her face fell, and lastly turned into an expression of confusion. "Wait...explain, please?" she asked of him.

"Kori came to the house today, and after we exchanged our hellos, she told me that she had defeated Blackfire and made her way home, which I found slightly suspicious since I had seen her passed out the day before. Then, for the whole few hours she was home she was acting so weirdly that taking her to see you was out of the question, because I knew something was up. I mentioned going to see you and she blanked out. She forgot who you were. So, I went to Raven and with the surveillance tapes, she deduced that Blackfire was pretending to be Kori, for some unfathomable reason. And everything fit. The fact that she forgot about you...because Blackfire doesn't know who you are," Richard explained as the Titans listened intently

"So...This Blackfire character, my mom's sister, kidnapped my mother, made her prisoner on her home planet, sent her into some sort of coma, turned into my mother, came back to Earth, and tried to woo you as the woman you love?" Kimi stated simply.

"Basically," Richard replied. "And now we need a plan."

Richard pushed the large blue button on the control panel in front of the window. A table popped up in the middle of the floor and they all took seats around it, except Richard, who stood with his palms against the tabletop. "Do you actually have a plan?"

"Yes, I do," he retorted to Raven's remark. "Look, I'm going to need Kimi, Kyle, and Sara to come with Victor, and I up to Tamaran. The reason for Kimi is obvious, but I'll need Sara to do any healing or magic that may be necessary and Kyle has a great fighting ability that may be necessary in hand to hand combat with any of Blackfire's followers that we come up against," he looked to Clara, Taku, and Danny. "Nothing personal." They all just shrugged. "I need Jenna, Raven, Clara, Taku, and Danny to stay here and keep watch over the Tower and our mission, and of course to take care of any crimes that come up." He looked at Raven. "I just don't want little Skylar getting hurt."

"I understand," she responded, nodding.

"So, our plan is basically just to take the T-ship up to Tamaran and use Sara to help us locate Kori, then go and break her out. We don't know who or what or how many we're up against, so we'll need back-up. We'll also need you four monitoring the mission down here while we're up there," Richard told them. "Ok?"

"Ok," Raven, Clara, Taku, and Danny all agreed.

"So, when does this whole thing begin?" Sara asked.

"Tonight. Right here, right now," he responded. "Taku's got the ship ready, so we're ready. That's ok with you three, right?" He looked to Sara, Kyle, and Kimi, to see them all nodding. "Good. Now, it will take a good few hours to get to Tamaran, so you'll be able to stock up on sleep," he told Kimi, Sara, and Kyle. "We don't know what we're going to be up against. We know-"

But the alarm rang. Richard pulled up the screen that gave them the appropriate information. "Arson downtown. In process, if you hurry you'll catch the criminal," Richard read off.

"Clara, let's bring up a portal," Sara began. "It'll get us there and back quicker."

The two girls waved their hands and chanted their mantras, dressing their teammates almost instantly. In another few moments they had used their group effort to open a rather large portal. Quickly, they ushered everyone in before it snapped shut behind them, leaving the adults staring in wonder.

They all fell jumbled out of a portal in front of a flaming three-story Victorian in the posh downtown district. Two figures all in black were running down the road, having just dropped cans of gasoline. "You guys go after them!" Danny ordered quickly, sweat already forming on their faces from the impending heat. "I'll find whoever's still stuck in the house!"

"Danny you can't!" Kimi protested indignantly, taking his wrist to stop him from running towards the burning building, although the others had already turned in the direction of the perpetrators.

"Don't worry, Kim," he began quickly. "I'm impervious to fire. It can't hurt me, remember?" And in the most affection he had ever shown her in public, he cupped her cheek gently and looked at her through the emotion swimming in his eyes. Their gaze was locked for merely a moment before he turned and ran into the burning building. Kimi watched after him wordlessly, her throat constricting.

"Kimi, c'mon!" Someone had shouted. "He'll be fine, let's go!"

And slowly she turned towards her teammates, flying in the direction in which they had already taken off.

Danny looked all around him. All he could see was fire. "HELLO?" he screamed, and heard whimpers coming from upstairs. He took the stairs two at a time, one collapsing beneath him, as he merely pushed through the fire, some of it absorbing into his body. The rest that he didn't absorb merely began to fester again.

"Where are you?" he called through cupped hands. The whimpers had stopped, a bad sign.

"Help!" He heard a call of, and he assumed it was an older person. He followed the sounds now dying out into a burning bedroom where a young woman was huddled, half-unconscious. "Help..."she trailed off, helplessly, as her limbs moved eerily slow.

"Come here," he started, scooping the woman into her arms. She was light for her age, maybe about 120 pounds.

"My...Mah..." she trailed off and she passed out fully. Danny moved as swiftly as he could from the room and took the stairs down, just in front of the front door. Two wooden beams had fallen in front of it, and he concentrated to put out the fire before using strong air currents to move them both.

Danny ducked out of the doorframe and appeared, sweaty and dirty, to the crowd that had gathered. Alarms were coming faintly, but they sounded so far away. A man rushed forward, taking the woman in his arms. "Lena! Lena!" he called, tears welling in his eyes.

She awakened, but she was weak.

"Where are my children?" the woman asked, and the man's eyes bugged nearly out of his skull.

"My...my children! They're still in there!"

That was all it took for Danny to be running back into the house, taking the stairs again two at a time, but his foot got stuck in the broken step and he took a few moments to hastily jerk it out. "Hello?" he called as he began checking each room on this floor. It would help if he knew their names. "Hello!"

Whimpering came from a room nearby. The door was ablaze and wouldn't budge open, but the whimpering was far away, so he could tell if he bust the door down they would not be hurt. "Don't come near the door!" he ordered.

"Ok," came the timid reply of two different children. Danny backed up and took a deep breath, before running full speed at the door. All it gave him was a sore shoulder. He took another deep breath and ran again towards the door. It fell off one hinge and busted open.

Danny scanned the room and saw two children huddled against each other in the corner, both near the age of five or six. Danny bent to his knees and looked at both of the children at eye-level. "It's ok," he told them, opening up his arms. "Come with me, it'll all be ok."

They scurried into his arms, and he held onto them for dear life. "Where's mommy?" one of them cried, her tears soaking into Danny's uniform.

"Your mommy's ok. She's outside with your daddy," Danny told them gently. "Just, don't let go." Danny walked down the hallway and had to put out a rather large fire that had formed in front of the staircase. The children buried their heads in his shoulder and never once looked up.

He heard a horrible cracking and looked up to see a beam falling off of the ceiling and he was able to jump from the staircase and land safely seven stairs down, without getting hurt. "Are you two ok?" he asked them.

They whimpered a shy "yes" in response.

Danny then had no problem running from the burning building, just before another beam fell in front of the door, blocking any exit. The firemen, the ambulance, and the police had all arrived by now, and the paramedics were taking care of the woman while the police were talking to the man. No one seemed to take notice of the young man carrying the two children out of the burning building, until someone exclaimed something Danny could barely make out. Before he knew what was happening, people were swirling around him, taking the children out of his arms.

The woman had finally woken up somehow, and was running up to him, despite protests of the paramedics, and threw herself at Danny. "Oh thank you so much!" she blubbered. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You saved me. You saved my children. Oh how can I repay you?"

"No need ma'am," he replied, pushing her away lightly. "'It's my job."

But just as he had pushed one away, someone else threw their arms around him. A more familiar someone. "Oh Danny," She breathed into his ear.

"Way to go, Danny!" And various calls were shouted around him, as all his teammates gathered around for a group hug. "Way to be a hero!" Kyle yelled, rustling his hair. "You're amazing, aren't you?"

Danny simply laughed. "It's all part of the job."

They all were soon tumbling back into the living room via portal, where the adults were all situated on the couch, watching the news, which displayed Danny's heroic exit from the burning building, the two kids cowering in his arms.

"You did good," Richard commented gruffly. "I'm impressed."

Danny smiled proudly. "Why thank you."

Kimi took his wrist. "We'll be right back. Y'all can just talk amongst yourselves." Kimi eagerly pulled Danny towards the door and he dumbly followed, wondering where she was going with this. The millisecond the door shut, Kimi threw herself into Danny's arms and kissed him hard. "Danny, that was amazing," she breathed, still holding him tight, her lips a few inches from his. "Just thought you should know."

He bated a small grin and kissed her again. "Well, you're amazing twenty four-seven. Just thought you should know."

They were silent for a moment, and Danny could sense she was bubbling to say something. His arms loosened around her and his gaze softened upon her features. "I love you," she whispered softly, with a little awkwardness. They had only used this particular phrase once or twice since her birthday. The love between them was something they knew was powerful and yet undiscovered. They didn't want to ruin it by tossing the phrase around like a rag doll.

He buried his face in her hair. He didn't need to reply. She already knew how he felt.

"Come on, we should get back in there," she told him, pulling away and taking his wrist, leading him back into the living room. Everyone was assembled as they had left them, yet waiting for their arrival. When they had settled on the couch, at an appropriate distance since Kimi's father was in the room, Richard began to speak.

"Ok, so we'll need to take off as soon as possible. The Titans coming on the trip will need to pack a few days of clothes, at the most. We're not quite sure how long it will take, so we might as well be prepared. With that being said, I'll need us all to meet in the launch area at one thirty A.M. Got it?"

Everyone showed their approval in some way, and Richard clapped his hands together. "Good. Great. Now let's get going."

**TT2**


	38. Fragile

**A/N**: so. here you go.

**Disclaimer**: not mine. no need for full sentences.

**WARNING**: this chapter has mentions of rape, so if you get squeemish very easily, I'd say turn around now.

**TT2**

**Friday September 25, 2019 (Early Morning)**

Sara had finished packing early, and after setting her suitcase in the living room, took to the roof. It was dark (no duh) but the sky was pure midnight blue and dotted with twinkling stars, making it look more beautiful than she had ever seen it. She sighed wistfully, pulling her knees to her chest and losing herself in a daydream (that, oddly, had dark brown hair and the most beautiful masked blue eyes).

She didn't hear the door shut softly, with that barely noticeable click.

"Hey there," a gentle voice began, sitting next to her and mocking her position.

She smiled, though she hid it from him. "Hello," she tried to say as stiffly as possible, but it came out choked. He slid closer to her.

"Finished packing?" he asked lamely, looking for any excuse of conversation.

She smiled again, though bated, it was nonetheless there. Kyle was so funny in his attempts; he was so cluelessly him. "Yea," she replied, and turning to look at him for the first time. He had pulled on a grey tee-shirt and a pair of worn blue jeans. His sunglasses were ever-present on his face, but they fell down on the bridge of his nose so you could see part of his eyelids. "Did you finish packing too?"

"Well, yea. If I didn't I wouldn't be up-" but then he realized this eliminated the need for his first very silly question, and immediately shut himself up before he said something else stupid. A few moments of silence passed as they merely enjoyed each other's company.

"Why am I so appealing to you?" Sara suddenly blurted out and wished she hadn't. "What makes me so special from the rest of the girls in this Tower?"

Kyle turned red and looked away, as if embarrassed by this question. He pulled off his sunglasses and hung them on the collar of his tee-shirt. "Because," he began softly, taking her hand and kissing the back very tenderly. "You're exciting. You're amazing. You see so much beauty in everything. You absolutely adore life. You're amazingly bright and perceptive. You're an amazing person to have a conversation with. And not to sound shallow, but you are the most beautiful girl I have ever met."

Sara's eyes teared but she promised herself she wouldn't let them fall. She wouldn't let him know she was vulnerable to him. She wouldn't be weak. She wouldn't let him in. "Look, Kyle, you're an amazing boy...man...young man but..." she trailed off, searching for words, her eyes darting anywhere but to his sea blue gaze, which would melt her to the core the second she looked. "...I...we...this..." she, again, trailed off uncertainly.

Just as she looked up, succumbing to his gaze, he pulled her wrist forward, launching her whole body towards him.

Their lips met softly.

It was slow and innocent, definitely more-so than their first impromptu kiss. His hand fell off her wrist and cupped her cheek. Her arms slowly wormed around his neck, her hands laying themselves onto the nape of his neck. Sara leaned deeply into him, her chest pressing against his, as she leaned upon him and trusted him with her weight as they teetered on the edge of the roof. They broke apart and she rested her head on his chest only briefly, before reaching her head up again to claim his lips again, harder this time.

"Kyle," she breathed as he pushed her down, gently, but still with force. They were teetering horizontally on the edge of the Tower's roof.

She rolled.

They fell, and Kyle was quick enough to put out his arm to grab anything, but he had not acted quick enough. Sara beat him to it. They were now floating horizontally a few feet below the edge of the roof.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

It was then he knew he had said the wrong thing, for she tensed up immediately.

**TT2**

"Could I have fucked up worse?" he shouted at Danny (not particularly at him, but he was the only one listening) a fair few minutes later. He took the back of a chair and flew it a few feet across the room in his anger. "Could I have made things any worse for myself. I had her, right there, right at my fingertips. Then my mouth fucked it all up."

Danny only listened intently.

"I had to kill the mood with my feelings. I'm such a wussy. Feelings? Who needs feelings? I HAD HER RIGHT THERE!" he stated clearly, turning to face Danny. "I-I-" he sunk, defeated, into Danny's bed. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

"For one, your mouth," Danny started, ticking of one finger on his left hand from his seat on his computer chair. "Second, there is nothing wrong with you. After all that, after everything you said and did, nothing could possibly be wrong with you. It's something with her."

Kyle sighed, running his hands up over his face and into his russet locks. "There's nothing wrong with her. She's perfect. She's the only girl for me. If Ican't have her, I won't have anybody else."

"You've known her for a grand total of a month and a half. You can't be so sure, Kyle."

He merely shrugged, wondering what she was doing right now.

**TT2**

"It was amazing," Sara sighed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "He was amazing, more likely. He is so strong and forceful, but he's gentle and...just amazing. Every second of it...I was so ecstatic I even performed wordless magic when we fell from the roof. That's a first for me."

Kimi watched her friend, eating up her words, her elbows on her knees supporting her head. "That's...wow," Kimi breathed, watching her still, with the ghost of a smile on her face. "So he was good?"

Sara grinned, but then it fell and she went back to her previous mope-y state. "It's not fair. Why can't I have him?" she asked nobody but herself.

"Because you're too cautious about what might happen if the public found out you were attached to him and found out he had a vulnerability?" Kimi offered.

"Yea," Sara responded, detached and not fully believing that answer.

"I can't really give you any advice on this except follow your heart," Kimi told her. "If your heart says go for Kyle, then you should. I mean, finding love is probably the best thing that's ever happened to me, especially in Danny. But maybe that's just because I'm a hopeless romantic. We've all hard rough patches in our life, and we deserve to be happy. We deserve someone who can make us happy. I think Kyle could make you happy."

Kimi walked across the room from the armchair she had been sitting in and gave Sara a short hug. "Come on, we have to be back up in the living room," Kimi told her, taking her hand and leading her to the door. "It'll be ok, It'll work itself out. I promise. One thing this Tower has taught me is that you can't avoid confrontation."

Sara smiled a small smile, before tuning out the world around her, going into her so-called "happy place" filled with brunettes with large sea blue eyes, and sunglasses to cover them up.

**TT2**

"I'm scared," Richard began. "What if when we get there...something has...happened?" he asked, not being too specific, for he didn't know what to expect.

"It'll be fine, Richard,"Raven told him, taking his hands. "She's tough. That's why you love her."

He smiled. "Thanks, Rae." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "That's just what I needed to hear."

The Titans (minus Taku) entered the room, it being exactly one thirty in the morning. They all sat on the couch and Richard looked around. "Victor's been down there with Taku, making some...er..._adjustments_ to the rocket. Grab your bags, and let's get down there."

He led them into a part of the Tower none of them had been. They used the elevator, and he pushed a button that was held beneath a small silver box with a flip-open top. It led them to the underground storage and launch site for the T-Ship. They stepped out of the elevator and were in awe of the large warehouse-like room.

"Hey y'all!" Taku greeted from the door of the T-ship. It looked much different from when the Original Titans were in the Tower. There was a small compartment underneath each pod (small meaning roughly half the size of their living room) and they had been remodeled so you could easily go from pod to pod if they were connected, but it also sealed air-tight in case of separation.

"Hey Taku," Danny started, extending the 'y'.

"We're ready for take-off in roughly twenty minutes, if we can get loaded in time," Vic announced from somewhere under the T-Ship, with all his machinery hanging out, his ring being on a counter nearby.

The three Titans making this trip put their bags down next to them. "Whoa," the three of them breathed in unison. "You heard him," Richard announced. "Let's get set."

They each took to a pod, Richard claiming the one in the front of the vehicle, the one that would always be his. He gave the one diagonal from him to the left to Kyle, so he would be able to take the lead once Richard wasn't around. Sara took the one diagonal from Richard to the right, horizontal from Kyle. Victor and Kimi took the two back pods, smiling at each other as they climbed in, situating themselves.

All of them hopped out when they heard Richard whistle loudly. The Titans were briefed on how to proceed with the launch, the flying, and the touch-down, and all other things they could cover in the short twenty minutes they had. Then, they all said their goodbyes and Richard told Jenna and Clara to go to the main room to monitor the launch on the TV, and Taku, Danny, and Raven to go to the roof and make sure the launch went off without a hitch. Once they all checked in via communicator, the assembled team entered their pods and soon enough were preparing for takeoff.

"You ready back there?" Richard asked Sara. She replied wholeheartedly. "You ready for launch?" he asked Kyle. He smiled and waved his consent. "Hey sweetie, you all ready back there?" he then asked Kimi.

"Yea Daddy," she replied sweetly.

"Launch in T minus 10," Victor started, which infiltrated all of their headsets, required for every minute of the trip unless they were asleep. "Nine." Sara fidgeted as she felt Kyle's gaze on her. "Eight." Kimi was wondering how long it would be until she saw Danny again. "Seven." Victor was really thinking of Jenna. "Six." Kyle was watching Sara, who fidgeted (something she did when she was nervous). "Five." Richard was beginning to worry. "Four." Kimi was getting anxious to have her mother back. "Three." Sara and Kyle were wondering what this trip would bring. "Two." Victor's mind shifted to his best friend and his MIA wife. "One." Richard's mind pictured Kori, hanging limp in that jail cell. "Liftoff."

The thrusters behind them fired up and they were lifted up until they were above the water, right in front of Titans' Tower. "You're set for launch," came Raven's voice over all of their headsets. Within another few moments they had fired up and were on a fast journey through the atmosphere. In another few moments they were in space, surrounded by the nothingness. Earth was getting more distant by the second as they took off for Tamaran.

"You kids can go get some sleep," Richard told them all. "Vic and I will take it from here."

They all agreed wholeheartedly and trekked down to their individual spaces to get some sleep. Upon entering, they found that they each had a bed waiting for them. "Nice," Kyle began, flopping onto one of the small yet comfortable beds. "Nighty night," he sighed, before digging his head into the pillow.

"Goodnight," Kimi mumbled, before hopping onto her own bed.

Sara said nothing, but merely pulled back the covers and slowly crawled in to her own bed. She pulled them up to her chest and stared up at the metallic ceiling above her. She soon heard the rhythmic snoring of Kimi coming from one side of her, and the slow, deep breathing of Kyle next to her. It was safe.

She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. Her eyes wandered to the body twisted in sheets next to her. He, too, had sat up and was now staring at her affectionately. Sara jumped visibly and then put a stern look on her face. "You scared the crap outta me!" she hissed, trying not to wake Kimi up. "What are you doing up?"

"I can't sleep. I couldn't sleep, even before all this happened," he told her, his face bathed in galactic light coming from a small window above him. "I was...thinking."

Sara huffed and looked away, not willing to admit herself to him yet.

"What's wrong with me?" he asked either way. Like she really believed he would realize she didn't want to talk. "Why do you seem to back away so much? I thought you said you liked me?" His voice wasn't smug or conceited. It was an innocent question, surrounded with a hint of insecurity.

Sara didn't look back at him, but sighed deeply, and began. "I...I do. Oh God, I do, Kyle. It's just...I don't play with my feelings. I need to know I'm serious about this before I go into it. I've been hurt before...by someone I thought I loved. I wouldn't be able to stand that again."

He mumbled something that sounded a lot like, "I would never do that". Then, Sara felt something wrap around her shoulders and she leaned into his body as he hugged her tight, having slipped onto her bed to sit next to her. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Sara...please don't make me chase you."

There was silence for a good few minutes. Neither of them said anything, but listened to their deep, even breathing. "I was raped," she began softly. He jumped slightly, disturbed at the noise, especially the confession. "When I was 14 I was dating a Junior. He was so amazingly sweet and kind, and I coulda swore I loved him. He was even understanding when I told him I wasnt ready for...well, you know. But then I guess he didn't feel like waiting because he took me to a Senior party and he drugged my drink. I woke up the next morning naked in a hotel room somewhere outside of the town I lived in."

"Sare," he began softly, trying to pull away to look at her face-to-face, but she wouldn't let him. She buried her head deeper into his shoulder, her words even more muffled. He rubbed her back as hot tears began to fall, merely recollecting that painful time.

"You're the first person I've ever told. I'm pretty sure Clara doesn't even know. But...I just...if anything is going to happen between us, I need you to know that. I need you to know I'm fragile, I'm not always as strong as I seem. I'm vulnerable," she mumbled.

"Sara, I couldn't hurt you if I tried. I care about you too much."

She merely leaned into him and continued to cry quietly.

**TT2**

It was terribly fun staying down in the Tower to monitor the mission while the others got to experience the mission first-hand. Oh yes, a lot of fun.

Clara was, of course, being sarcastic.

Her phone began to ring from the pocket of her sweatpants. She pulled it out, checked the LCD screen on the front, then flipped it open with a large smile across her face. "Hello?" she asked happily, in a voice higher than normal.

"Hey baby," someone answered on the other end. "Great job catching those arsonists today. Saw you and your cute buns on TV."

"I find that offensive," she retorted jokingly. "My buns are not cute."

Taku and Danny both looked at her, where she was sitting at the head of the living room computer. Raven and Jenna were both napping on the couch after having monitored the mission for a good few hours. "What?" Danny and Taku asked together.

"What are you doing right now?" Jake asked.

"Sitting at home, monitoring some mission with Danny and Taku. Kinda bored. Wanna swing over and come hang out?" She asked him, pulling her knees up onto the chair and hugging them close.

"Hmm...I'm sure I'd love that. What do the others say?"

"Hey, you guys don't mind if I have a friend over, do ya?" Clara asked them with a tiny smirk on her face. They both shrugged indifferently, though Taku mumbled something Clara couldn't quite catch. "Naw, it's ok with them. Hurry over here, sweetcheeks." She hung up her phone just as she heard a faint roar she presumed to be his motorcycle. It was a few minutes before he appeared at their living room door with a slight smirk on his face, casually leaning against the metallic frame. He was dressed down in a pair of jeans and a black band shirt with a black jacket, and sleek black sunglasses.

"How did you get in?" Danny asked snidely, without having to turn around since Clara had squealed his name and jumped up to hug (and kiss) him.

"I have my ways," he retorted, wrapping a casual arm around Clara and directing them towards part of the couch that wasn't taken up. Taku turned around, his eyes meeting the sight of them coupled up together.

"Is it just me, or does this guy look familiar?" Taku asked, genuine in his question.

"How so?" Clara asked, trying to mask the fright in her voice. She certainly didn't need them to find out she had been inviting a criminal into their home on a daily basis.

"I don't know. He kinda looks like...ah, well, nevermind," he ended in a mumble, talking more to himself than anyone else. "I don't know. I'm delusional. I've been surviving on one hour of sleep, so you can't really blame me."

Clara looked to Jake and let out a breath of relief. Safe, for now.

**TT2**


	39. A Mission Like No Other

**A/N**: I'm so sorry it took me as long as it did to update. School started and field hockey started and i made varsity WHOO! And I've been having ideas but I've either been forgetting or not having enough time to write them down. But within the next two weeks I promise more updates. btw, LYKE OMGIZZLE DID ANYONE EFFING SEE TROUBLE IN TOKYO? SQUEEEEEEE LIKE NO OTHER. I am so effing writing a fanfic about that soon.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Teen Titans. So stick that in your juice box and blow it.

**TT2**

**Friday September 25, 2019**

It was a long while later that the Titans (plus Jake) were still in the living room, chatting quietly, watching the mission unfold. Clara nudged Jenna slightly, and she woke with a start. When Jenna adjusted to her surroundings she fell off the couch with a small, squealing yelp. "Ah, sorry," she apologized, fixing her hair and clothes. "I forgot where I was." She glared at Jake when no one was looking, and he merely smirked in response.

Clara took his hand and cuddled into his shoulder, beginning to fall asleep herself. "It's time for your shift," she mumbled to the two now grumpy adults. "We need our sleep."

Jake's cell phone went off from somewhere within the depths of his pockets and he pulled it out to look at the screen before sighing deeply. "Text message from my mom," he told her, flipping it open to stare at the screen. "She wants to know where I am," he lied swiftly. "She needs to butt out of my business."

Jenna coughed.

"I have to go to the bathroom... can someone around here show me where it is?" Jake asked, yet again lying.

"I'll show you. I have to go, too," Jenna responded. Jake was able to part from Clara for just a few minutes as they both walked side by side to the door, pretending they weren't about to get into a huge fight. The minute the door closed (thank God it was sound proof) they began yelling.

"What is your deal!" Jake asked her in a desperate exclamation. "I'm just hanging out with my girlfriend! I'm not doing anything wrong or criminal! I'm not killing anyone! You don't need to keep tabs on me twenty-four seven! I'm sixteen, for the love of God!"

"If I don't keep track of you, who will?" she retorted, a fire blazing in her eyes as she stared him down. "It's not like you have ever cared about where you actions will take you. You need to be responsible for yourself, Jake. You're coming in to age now, and I can't always be there to bail you out!"

"What makes you think that anything bad was going to happen? They don't know who I am. They just think I'm Clara's boyfriend, who's come over looking for a little time with his girlfriend. They don't suspect me of being Jump City's most elusive criminal!"

"Second," Jenna reminded him.

"What?"

"Second most elusive criminal," she elaborated.

He merely stared at her, blankly, until his face took on a more angry demeanor. "What about you? Hanging out with the Titans like your some sort of God among people. Acting like your Mother Teresa when your nothing but a two-bit criminal yourself!" he yelled at her. "Why do I have to watch out if you're the one hanging around with these people?"

Jenna stared at her son, shocked at his words. "It's my job. You don't have to be here, hanging out with her and her teammates. But I have to be hanging out with Victor and his friends, even if I don't want to hurt them. I'd rather be figured out by them than die at the hands of Brother Blood."

Jake looked at his mother, before turning around and entering the living room, without another word back.

"Look, Clare, I gotta go..." was all Jenna heard before the door snapped shut. She leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. Life as a single parent wasn't getting any easier, especially when you and your son were the most wanted villains in town.

**TT2**

They landed on Tamaran. They landed on the main landing pad, pretending to be there to let Kimi and her friends visit. The people of Tamaran, well-known with Richard and Kimi, had graciously given him and everyone else their own room. They made a point to stay away from Galfore, the only person that knew Richard wouldn't go anywhere without Kori. He told everyone else that Kori was merely indisposed. He wasn't sure what getting everyone involved would lead to, though the extra back-up might've been nice.

Kimi set her small duffel on her Rokksas (a piece of furniture that was equivalent to the Earthen bed), then went to visit Sara in the room reserved for Earthly visitors.

"Hey Sare," she started slowly and softly, leaning against the doorway and crossing her arms over her chest.

"What's wrong?" Sara asked almost immediately. "You sound apprehensive."

"I'm a little nervous. We need to find my mother immediately. I just...I feel like something's wrong," she admitted blatantly.

"Don't worry, Kim. It'll all be ok," Sara reassured her, looking up and smiling wide.

"Why are you-?" but she was cut off.

"Hey Sare," Kyle started, coming forward to lean against the doorframe next to Kimi. "Hey Kim. What's up, you guys?"

Kimi looked out the door, ignoring his question, seeing all different Tamaranians walking by. Some she knew, and some she didn't. A few smiled and waved, and others didn't see her. But there was one person that she couldn't possibly miss, and he couldn't possibly miss her.

"Tysond'r!" Kimi breathed, and through the people separating them he saw her face and looked at her disbelievingly.

"Kimiand'r!" he screamed. "Oh Kimiand'r!"

He pushed through people until he was right in front of her and took her into his arms in a hell of a greeting. He pulled back and kissed both cheeks, a custom on Tamaran, before looking at her fully.

"Kimiand'r, tekra su ognata!" _Kimi, how you have grown!_

"Oh, Tysond'r, it has been a long time since I have seen you last! I missed you greatly," Kimi breathed, hugging him again. "Oh, there is so little time to catch up on what we've missed." But then they both smiled and did a secret handshake of sorts, which ended in bouts of raucous laughter.

"Nothing has been changing, Kimiand'r," he breathed looking at her once more. "Beautiful as always, my Moon."

Kimi smiled bashfully. "Well, some things have changed." Kyle and Sara were now watching this exchange with interest. "Come on, Tysond'r. Walk with me." As they began to walk, she looked back. "Tall my dad I'm on the Balcony. He'll know where that is."

They ventured up to their favorite spot as young ones, talking about all that had transpired while they were away from each other. It was a balcony that overlooked all of their home planet. Or, his home planet at least. Part of Kimi's home was on Earth. "Tyson," she started softly.

"Kimi," he responded, smiling. It felt like an inside joke, ever since she taught him to caught off the end of his name to make up a nickname. "It feels great to be seeing you once more. I have been missing you terribly these years you have been gone. My best friend, my girl." He took her hands.

"Look, Ty, a lot has changed. I have a boyfriend now. I've gotten over it. I've gotten over the possibility of us," she told him, more straightforward than she meant to be.

"You love him?"

"Yes," she replied confidently. "I do. I'm sorry."

"I am guessing I should have figured you would be giving up on me. You must to forgive me; I let you slip through my grasp like typical male," he laughed pitifully, watching her through shining eyes. Kimi couldn't help but smile at his fractured English. "I still love you, Moon-Pie."

"I love you, too, Ty-Pie-" Yet another inside joke "-but platonically."

"Please to let that guy know he is the luckiest creature alive," Tysond'r then told her, before giving her a hug and brief kiss on the forehead. "And if he does the 'screwing' with you, he shall be dead meat."

Kimi burst out in unnecessary giggles, even though she understood what he meant. "Thanks, Ty. I'll let him know." But then her father (or should I say Nightwing) came crashing through the door, looking frazzled. "Dad, what's wrong?" she asked, worry etched into her features. "Your mother, she's fading...fast. We need to go."

Kimi lifted off from the ground and was about to fly when Tyson took her wrist and forced her to stay back. "Sempra, keh? Sui mader? Kah bokna seh struanda a Earth?" _Wait, what? Your mother? I thought she was on Earth? _he asked, reverting to Tamaranian.

"No, she's not. Storybook version, her sister kid-napped her and is holding her here on Tamaran, but we need to find out where." Kimi looked back to her father, and as if he knew what she was about to say next, he nodded encouragingly. "Do you want to come with? I'm sure we could use you."

"Of course," he responded, and then they both lifted off from the floor and took off in a flight after her frantic father.

**TT2**

They all grouped in Sara's room, where she was sitting on the floor in a meditative position, humming something every few moments. Kyle was watching her urgently. "She's found your mother," he called over his shoulder, but without looking at her. "But she says her soul is fading fast, so unless we get there quick she's going to be...well...let's not think about that."

Kimi looked at Sara. "Can you tell us where she is?"

Sara didn't reply, but muttered a mantra of some sort and in a few moments her eyes snapped open. She's on the under side of the planet, because Tamaran's two moons are showing. Her mind can't give me any other information. She's blocked me out. So either she's a trained witch or she's going into some sort of coma."

Kimi snapped the door shut with her heel and strode over to the door that led the a balcony. She swung it open and ushered everyone outside. "We'll cover more ground by flying. Sara, can you carry Kyle somehow?" Sara nodded enthusiastically. "Ok. Ty, grab Victor."

Ty flew up and grabbed the large man under the arms, and Kimi grabbed her own father, watching Sara lift Kyle with a simple spell. "Good. Now, just follow me."

They took off in an instant, heading for the other side of Tamaran. "You really know what your doing," Richard yelled up to her daughter over the roaring winds.

"I take after the best," she responded, and after that fell silent.

It took them only a few minutes at their speed to reach the other side, considering Tamaran was a fairly small planet. Kimi looked to both sides of her to make sure everyone was still together. "Just search for something, anything that might portray some sign of life!" Kimi ordered.

They were searching for a good twenty minutes or so before they came upon a small metal hut. They landed down on the ground and rushed towards the door of this shabby-looking thing. They revealed a staircase that would lead them down about three hundred steps. After the first fifty Kimi got tired of this and ordered them to fly again. They hit the bottom, which entered into a room that spouted two different hallways. "Sara, Vic, Kyle, take that hallway. My dad, Ty, and I will take this one. Show no mercy to any guards you may meet on your way."

They took a darkened hallway, and soon Kimi and Ty had to use their starbolts to light up the way. Soon enough, they were met by half a dozen of Blackfire's henchmen. They were able to finish them off quickly, before proceeding over their unconscious bodies to continue down the hallway. It led into a dungeon that had a row of jail cells, and nearly a dozen guards sitting there, unexpectedly.

One of them shouted in Tamaranian and they all immediately noticed the intruders.

But by then Richard had already pulled out a stun disc and thrown it at the table they were sitting at. He covered Ty and Kimi, and it went off creating a large explosion. All of the guards had been knocked out, either by the explosion or the tons of metal that had come down upon them.

"Richard! Richard!" Someone yelled down the hall and Vic, Sara, and Kyle all appeared. "We found Blackfire's quarters, and some sort of laboratory. I found what I think might be the stuff she used to turn into Starfire." He held up a corked neon green bottle. "And we got ambushed by nearly fifty guards, but I think we took good care of them."

"Great, now check all of these jail cells. Kori's got to be in one of them!"

Richard checked the first few, before he came upon one that held a shadowed figure up against a wall. "Kimi!" he called and she appeared at his side, looking hopeful. "Break the bars!" She tore them off easily and discarded them on top of the pile of metal that had fallen on the security guards. Richard ran into the cell and took a good look at the shadowed figure.

It was Kori, from what he could tell.

"Kimi!" He yelled, more urgent this time. "I found her!"

Richard turned, with a small smile on his face, but it fell when he saw who was holding his daughter, now struggling to escape her grasp. "Blackfire!" he hissed at her, readying three of his bird-a-rangs. "Let my daughter go!"

"Daughter?" she spat. "You knocked up my sister? Figures. Girl couldn't keep her hands off you even if she tried."

"Shut your mouth, you little wench," he retorted, waiting for her to be caught off guard so he could grab Kimi. "Kori is a better person than you will ever be." He spat at her feet. "Take that and shove it."

"You little-" she cut herself off and merely raised her fist in the blink of an eye, shooting three starbolts, effectively dazing him.

Kimi struggled under her grasp, but Blackfire wouldn't let go. "You...You bitch!" Kimi shrieked, and Blackfire held her hand against Kimi's head, before releasing her power and letting her slump to the floor. She first grabbed Richard by the shirt, slammed him against the wall, and shut him into the shackles. She then took Kimi, who began to surface consciousness, and repeated her previous actions.

"Vic!" Richard shouted. "Vic, Help! Bl-" But Blackfire had blasted him again, and he was too dazed to speak.

Kyle and Sara came rushing into the cell a few moments later. Kyle took out a few hawk-a-rangs and successfully pinned her to the wall. She merely pulled herself off the wall and while Sara was building up a powerful spell, hit them both with five consecutive rounds of starbolts.

Smirking to herself, she shut them both into chains on the walls. Victor came sliding into the cell just a little while later, looking breathless. "Bad idea," Blackfire hissed, taking him by the arm and swinging him against a nearby wall. He immediately got back up.

"Oh yeah?" He cocked his sonic cannon and blasted her twice. She landed a few feet away, and Victor used his cannon to hit the ceiling, causing tons of rock to fall down upon her. He smirked in satisfaction.

But Blackfire rose from the rubble and hit him with her eyebeams, knocking him against a nearby wall and leaving him breathless. She then closed in and shot starbolt after starbolt, until he was dangling within an inch of consciousness.

He, as well, was chained to the wall.

Sara struggled against the chains. "You can't do this!" she screamed. "This is...inhumane!"

"I'm not humane, nor am I human," she hissed in response.

"But you are!" Richard retorted, now apparently awake. "Your father had a fling with a human! Everyone considered you a dirty half-breed, the production of an unlawful affair! Your father, the King, had a fling with a dirty, nasty, rotten human. You were nothing but garbage to them! Kori got all the attention, and you were jealous."

"SHUT UP!" Blackfire screeched, seething. "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! You don't know the half of what it's like to be treated like an outcast because you're half-breed!"

"Um, hello!" Kimi interjected. "I'm a half-breed!"

"But you were born in an age were Half-Breed Tamaranians are accepted! Besides, you weren't the product of your father's stupid affair!" Blackfire defended. She turned her back on them for one second, which was all Sara needed to whisper a single curse and send it straight for Blackfire. She fell to her knees, scraping her palms on the floor. Her teeth gritted. "Who did that!" she screamed without looking around. "You dirty, rotten humans!"

Sara whispered another spell, more powerful this time, and sent Blackfire into shaking convulsions on the ground. But she stood anyways, still shaking and convulsing, but in a rage no one had ever seen before.

She stood in front of Sara. "You little bitch." She slapped her with a resounding smack, and everyone stared at her in shock as Kyle's face turned red.

"Don't you DARE touch her!" he yelled, and pulled up his legs before kicking her into what was left of the jail cell's bars. It knocked the wind out of her and she laid on the ground for a few seconds.

Ty came running into the cell, staring in shock at the five pinned to the wall. "What the hell did I miss?"

"Get her!" the all screamed, nodding to Blackfire who was slowly getting up, regaining her strength.

Ty's eyes (A/N: hehe) bugged out of his skull before he powered up neon green starbolts and sent wave after wave at Blackfire. After a fair few, he picked her up and threw her against the wall. Her eyes opened weakly, and she looked at all of the darkly, before slumping into unconsciousness.

"Come on, let's go. Ty, get us out of here!"

Ty wasted no time in getting to them and breaking off the chains. When he broke Kori's at the very end, she fell lifeless into Richard;s arms, and he scooped her up. They began to run towards the exit, looking around at the massacre they had created. "Come on, let's go," Richard encouraged. "She's not getting any stronger."

Richard ordered them to stay in front of him in case they had any more surprise attacks from guards. They were fine halfway through until sixteen or so guards came barreling down the hallway. Combining Sara's magic and Kimi and Ty's starbolts, they were able to knock them all over like bowling pins.

"Kimi, fly Victor ahead and go get the T-Ship. I won't be able to fly back with her, so that's our only choice." Kimi nodded in understanding, picking Victor up under his arms and taking off with him. She was soon out of sight, at top speed, going like a bullet. Richard chanced a look down at her bruised and beaten face. She looked so helpless, there in his arms. He would give his own life right now to see her in any state but this one.

They soon reached the staircase and began running up. Sara and Ty chose to fly, while Kyle and Richard ran up two at a time, thinking it couldn't be any sooner until they were out. God knows what traps Blackfire had set.

It was too long, in Richard's opinion, until they reached the top and threw the door open to see Kimi and Victor waiting for them. "Akreia Richard's, Kimi's, Kyle's, Victor's, and my bags!" Sara yelled, holding her hands out. In a few moments they were gliding in the distance, getting bigger and bigger until Richard realized they were going at a dangerous pace headed right for them. He ducked and Sara caught them, though it knocked the wind out of her.

"We have to get out of here," Richard began, boarding the T-ship as Kimi jumped off to say goodbye to Tyson.

"I'm sorry, Ty. I'm sure I'll see you soon, but my mom...she's in a terrible condition." Kimi kissed his forehead and didn't even bother to smile back like she knew she would've under different circumstances. She boarded the T-Ship and soon it was taking off, and she was watching Tyson fly up and back to the Palace. Kyle, Sara, and Victor were all in the process of guiding the ship, while her father sat next to Kori, who he had placed in a bed in the compartment below.

"Kimi," he called and she rushed down to see her father holding her hand and stroking her hair. He patted the chair next to him, and she sunk into it without another thought. Richard wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I proud of you, Kim. I really am. Today, you showed me that you are more than ready for the Titans and what it's going to bring you."

Kimi smiled, chancing a look at her mother. She looked like she was in a great amount of pain, and Kimi couldn't bear it. She looked away, her eyes tearing, looking to her father for support. With the arm around her shoulders he pulled her close and hugged her tight. She felt so vulnerable when she was crying, but in her daddy's arms everything felt alright.

"She'll be ok, I promise," he whispered in her ear, and she nodded dumbly, wanting so bad to believe him.

**TT2**


	40. Life or Death

**A/N**: I'm really bad at updating, that's all I have to say.

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans? Not mine.

**TT2**

**Sunday September 27, 2019**

They landed on the helicopter pad on the top of Titans' Tower, and Sara ushered Kimi and Richard out of the vehicle with Kori in Richard's arms. Kimi stopped for just a second to realize two days had already passed on Earth for how long they had been flying to and on Tamaran. "Come on," she started. "I can open up a portal for you to the hospital."

Sara first chanted a spell to take them out of uniform and put them into more suitable clothes. She then started a mantra that opened up a yellow slice in front of them, and grew wider and wider until Richard and Kimi could slip through. "We'll be there soon!" They could hear Sara's voice saying after them, but they had already been ushered out of the portal, which was directly in the center of the emergency room.

"Quit staring!" Richard snapped at the people around him, and they immediately went back to their own business. He rushed up to the counter where a kindly-looking woman was sitting, reading a magazine.

"Um, excuse me?" Richard started hurriedly, watching the woman behind the glass. She looked up and gasped.

"My God, what happened to the poor dear?" the woman asked, putting down her magazine and coming out of her cubicle to examine her. "Oh, this is bad. Follow me." They did as told and the woman led them through a series of doors and hallways, until they hit a closed -off section of the emergency room. "Lay her on the bed." The woman looked out the door. "Dr. Carter! Dr. Thompson! We have a Code Blue, Three-fifty nine in section C oh-five!"

"Dad, I'm scared," Kimi admitted.

"It's ok Kimi. It'll all be ok." He hooked his arm around her and pulled her close.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave," the woman told them as four doctors rushed in with a few medical tools in their hands.

"But-" he began to argue but the woman wouldn't take no for an answer.

"I'm sorry! The emergency room is for patients and doctors only, you'll have to wait in the waiting room until a doctor tells you it's ok!" Richard and Kimi looked defeated as they trudged out and back through they way they had come. Richard still had his arm around his baby girl, and she was leaning into him while walking very slow.

"She'll be ok," Kimi whispered to her father, but she know he had a hard time believing anything at the moment.

"She has to be ok. Your mother...she's a strong woman."

"I know," Kimi breathed in response. They both sank into chairs in the emergency room, watching other people waiting nervously for their loved ones. A black and white television was broadcasting some sort of news program, and though Richard tried to tune in, it was almost impossible over the din of the others in the room.

It must've been thirty minutes before Victor, Raven, and Danny all came crashing in through the emergency room doors, looking about wildly for any sign of anyone they knew. They spotted Richard and Kimi slumped in their chairs, resting against each other, looking worn and defeated. Raven sank next to Richard and Victor took Raven's side, while Danny made his way to Kimi.

She looked up at him through tearing eyes and he sat next to her, immediately embracing her with all her might.

"We wanted to keep it light," she heard Victor explaining to her father. "We told the others they could come visit when we had an update on her condition."

"How could this happen to someone like her?" Kimi asked Danny as he rubbed her back gently. "You should've seen her. She was downright mutilated. I couldn't stand looking at her. How could her own sister do that to her?"

Suddenly, a swarm of reporters entered the emergency room, and made a beeline straight for her father. "Richard! Richard!" they yelled. "How is she doing? Is she alive? How does it look?" and various other questions were spouted off.

"Follow me!" The same nurse that they had talked to before yelled, and she pulled them through the emergency room doors, out of sight of the reporters. They dare not enter the emergency room, for there was a law against press in the emergency room in Jump City. The nurse led them to a quiet, bright white room, that held a bed, three armchairs, and two plastic chairs. Richard, Victor, and Raven took the armchairs, while Kimi and Danny sat on the bed. Danny was still rubbing her back as she dried her eyes.

"It's ok, Kim," he whispered in her ear as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Your mom is tough. She'll pull through. She's a trooper, just like you."

She smiled slightly at these comforting words, burying her head in his shoulder and beginning to feel calm. Only Danny could do that to her.

Richard turned on the television hanging from the ceiling, something greatly needed to cut the tension in the room. It displayed the news, now telling the story about how Starfire (Kori Anders) had been found.

"How did they figure out, anyways?" Richard asked quietly.

"No idea," Vic started, looking at everyone else who just shrugged. "I guess they have their ways."

The room was silent except for the soft rumbling of the television and the words the anchorwoman was speaking. Kimi sniffled every now and then, but it wasn't that noticeable. It felt like an eternity before the nurse came back, this time with a clipboard in hand and solemn expression on her face. "Richard?" she asked, and he stood with a sense of urgency. "Can I speak with you, outside?"

The nurse led him to just outside the door, shutting it with a soft click. She looked down at her clipboard and sighed, her shining eyes coming up to meet his. "How is she?" he fired off almost immediately.

"She's not in any life-threatening danger at the moment, but she's in a coma. Well, that's what we're presuming. She has no heartbeat, but she's breathing steadily and even moving a little. We've never seen this before in any of our medical records. We don't know what to make of it so we're thinking your daughter might be able to shed some light on her condition, in case it might be a Tamaranian thing," she explained. Richard turned around to stride back into the room. "Wait!" The nurse called, and he turned to look at her once more.

"Is there something else?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry to say that well...she lost the child," she spoke slowly and clearly, yet Richard still didn't understand her.

"What?"

"Your wife lost the baby during some sort of struggle. She had a miscarriage," she explained further, looking up at him. "I'm very sorry."

Richard tried to ignore the shock of both being told he was going to have a baby and that his wife had lost it. It didn't work very well, seeing as his eyes welled and he choked on his next words. "Can my daughter and I see her now?" Richard asked.

"Yes, but only you two. They're barely allowing you two in, so anyone else besides family will have to wait outside," the nurse told him. She watched Richard walk back into the room to gather up his daughter and the others. He explained to them that only he and Kimi were allowed in to see her at this moment.

It finally hit him, the seriousness of what the nurse had just told him. He knew that, as much as it hurt to say it, that the baby had been an accident. They planned not to have children until at least after their honeymoon, and once they were settled in together. It hurt just the same, though, as if he had known, if not worse.

The nurse let them settle before she led them, very quietly, to the room Kori was being held in. "Dad," Kimi started in a whisper. "Why are you crying? What happened to mom?"

"I'll explain later, I promise," he whispered back, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve. Kimi looked to Danny who was walking alongside her, his fingers intertwined with hers. He smiled reassuringly, as if to say everything would be alright. It seemed that became the favorite phrase around here lately.

"Right in here," the nurse directed, pointing to a closed door.

Kimi embraced Danny quickly. She felt him tenderly kiss her hair and she felt that calm sensation once more. She looked up to her father who was taking deep breaths, preparing himself for this moment. He reached for the doorknob and pushed the door open with ease, letting his daughter first step inside. He then followed her, shutting the door behind him.

All they saw was white. White linen, white chairs, white floors, white walls, white machines, everything was white. Then, the single splash of color in the room, Kori, came into view. She was tucked into the bed, the sheets at her waist showing she had been changed into a paper gown. IV's were attached in her arms, and she had tubes in her nose, all connected to different things. Her eyes were closed and she looked relaxed, though the scars and bruises on her face and arms said otherwise. She was definitely breathing; deeply, for that matter, but the heart rate machine was at a steady _beeeeep_.

Kimi took one side and Richard took the other, immediately taking her hand in his, caressing it with the pad of his thumb. "Kimi, is this some sort of Tamaranian thing?" Richard asked. "She has no heartbeat, but she's breathing."

Kimi looked unsure and regretful at the same time. She didn't want to be the one to tell him this. "It's a very rare type of...coma, I guess is what it's related to on Earth. It's when the person who went into the coma either has the choice of whether they shut down their body completely or restart their heart and wake up."

"Wait, what?" Richard asked, though he had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

"She can choose whether she lives or...dies."

"But, then, why isn't she awake?" Richard asked. "Of course she would choose to live. She wouldn't leave us! She promised me she'd never leave me!"

"Only Tamaranians who have suffered terrible trauma will ever go through something like this. She is...questioning something about her life right now, which is making her mind hazy about all the reasons there are to live. She may not know it, but she can subconsciously hear us, so the only thing we can do is be here and support her," Kimi told him, ending in a soft whisper, her voice beginning to crack. "I'm sorry dad."

"Kimi...Kori...no!" he began, his voice cracking as well. He looked down at his fiancee, his hand running over the ring on her finger. "Kori, I love you so much. Please, don't do this to me. Don't leave me. I need you so much, baby." He kissed the back of her hand.

Kimi watched her mother, hoping to see some sort of movement. "I may be able to connect with her, to see why she's having this dilemma. Only mothers and daughters who have a strong bond can connect, or so is Tamaranian legend, but I'm sure..." she trailed off. "I just need to know how." Kimi took her mothers hand and squeezed it in hers. "Dad, let go of her hand for a second."

Kimi concentrated on infiltrating her mother's mind, and soon she was flying from her body at the speed of lightning and she was dropped with excessive force upon a stone floor. She recognized it as the jail cell she was in earlier that day. Her arms and legs were in immense pain, the inside of her head felt like it was being stabbed at, she felt the sting of millions of tiny cuts and bruises. She could barely keep her eyes open to see both the beautiful moons of Tamaran in the brilliant violet sky.

"I cannot believe it..." a voice that sounded much like her mother's resounded in her head, and she almost immediately knew she was in her mother's body, experiencing what she was experiencing at the time. "He loves Blackfire. He really does not love me anymore."

Kimi was jerked back into her own body, her vision readjusting to see her father looking hopefully at her from across her mother's bed. "She thinks you're in love with Blackfire," she started, furrowing her brow. "For some ungodly reason."

His features relaxed and his mouth opened as he began to fit everything together. "That's it. That's just what happened! Blackfire wanted her sister dead and she wanted to get me to think she was the woman I loved so I would marry her! Somehow she gave Kori insubstantial proof that I loved Blackfire instead of her, and that's why she wants to die. Because she thinks her sister stole her fiancee!"

Kimi's head was spinning from so much revelation at one time. "Then, all you need to keep telling her is that she's the one you love, and no one else. If she hears you and truly believes you, she should wake up."

"But when?" Richard asked.

Kimi looked away, thinking, but then turned back to face her father and shrugged. "I don't know. It depends on how long it takes her body to start up again. Weaker systems could take months, but with her being as strong as she is, I would say it can't be any longer than a few weeks."

"A few weeks?!" he asked incredulously, looking down to the pale, lifeless woman tucked into the bed sheets. "But...but..." he stumbled over his words before sighing in defeat.

"But don't take my word for it. It could be more, it could be less. I've never really seen this before," Kimi told him hesitantly. "I've just read about it in a few Tamaranian tomes and scrolls." Kimi hesitated, once again, and then looked up at her father. "Dad?"

"Yea, Kim?" he asked.

"I don't want to alarm you or anything, but I want to prepare you. There aren't many cases where the victim chooses to live. It's very uncommon. I've only heard of a handful, out of the hundreds of cases I've heard of," she told him.

His face fell, and he looked speechlessly between his daughter and the love of his life. His gaze stuck upon her and tears welled in his eyes, and Kimi could see he was fighting for words, for anything to say to her that could help make this situation better. "I-I'll leave you two alone," she breathed, tears filling her own eyes as well as she walked lifelessly out of the room. Danny, Raven, and Victor were standing at the door, looking impatient with the nurse who refused to let them in.

Danny saw Kimi close to tears and opened up his arms. She collapsed into them, sobbing like there was no tomorrow. "It's not fair!" Kimi cried, but her words were slurred so he could barely understand her. "It's not fair! Why does she have to go? Why is this happening to her, to us?"

"It's ok, Kimi," was all Danny had to offer. "She'll pull through. She's tough."

But this only made Kimi cry more. She had lost all hope that her mother would wake up.

**TT2**

"This isn't fun," Clara stated aloud. "I don't want to wait to hear news about Kori. We should be able to visit her."

"For now, we're stuck here waiting," Kyle returned. "We should be hearing news any minute now."

"It's been five hours," Taku announced with an impatient sigh. "You would think they know her condition now."

Sara was quiet through all this. She fiddled with her fingers, sighing quietly ever so often. She was concerned for Kimi's mother, all of them were, but this was deeper than that. She was wondering what had happened between her and Kyle. Did he really mean everything he said or was it just to comfort her? Did he really want to give them a chance?

Saying Sara had trust issues was a major understatement. And what would any relationship be without trust? How was she supposed love someone if she couldn't trust them?

Sara jerked, a buzz spreading through her body. When she came back to her senses, she realized that Clara was talking on her cell phone, a smile spread across her face. Though most people don't believe in twin telepathy, it's real. Sara and Clara were living examples. If Sara was happy, Clara felt happy. If Clara was sad, Sara felt sad.

"Who are you talking to that's making you so happy?" Sara snipped at her, not being able to stand the happiness flowing though her veins at the moment.

"Jake," she started, covering the mouthpiece and giving Sara a small wink. "We might go out tomorrow night, but I told him I can't enjoy myself until I know Kimi's mom is ok."

"That's sweet," Sara spoke softly, letting her get back to her conversation. She was deep in thought once more when she heard the phone snap tightly shut. The others around them were in conversation, but Sara and Clara were now quiet. "Clara," her counterpart began.

"Yea, Sare?"

"Can I talk to you, privately?" she asked, without waiting for an answer. Instead, she took her sister's hand and dragged her out of the living room, stopping when the door closed with a hiss.

"Clare, I don't know," Sara began, confused with what she was going to say. "I like Kyle and he's such a great guy and he's so sweet...but you know how I have trust issues and I'm not sure if I can trust him yet and...is that such a bad thing?" She asked her sister desperately. "After all he's done for me?"

"Sare, I can't really tell you what to do," Clara told her. "You have to know what to do. Kyle's a great guy, but it's not like I know anything about your relationship except what you tell me. There could be a whole other level that I don't know about, something deeper than anything I know."

Sara couldn't remember a time when Clara wasn't able to help her. She sighed in defeat and held her head in her hands. "I'll be up on the roof. I need to think a while." Sara took off in the other direction, while her sister watched her retreating back. The both of them knew what she intended by going up to the roof.

Clara entered the living room, her arms crossed firmly over her chest. She slunk down on the couch next to Taku, who was asleep on Kyle's shoulder. Clara stifled a laugh. "Cute," she shot towards Kyle, who childishly stuck his tongue out at her.

"Where'd Sara go?" came the instinctive question.

"The roof."

"Oh." There was a long silence, in which all they heard was Taku's soft snores. "I think I'm gonna go up to the roof," Kyle started, taking Taku's head and setting it on the end of the couch. "I wanna talk to Sara."

Clara let out a hum of approval, reaching for the television remote. "I'll just sit here and watch Taku sleep," Clara remarked disinterestedly, in her usual drawl which had been lost ever since Jake came around.

Sara knew he was coming. She could sense his footsteps on the stairs, hear his soft, even breathing, feel the hard and fast beat of his heart. She felt his hand on hers as he turned the doorknob, then heard the soft pad of his sneaker as he laid his foot on the roof. Sara pretended not to notice him.

He sat next to her, pulled his knees up, and looked out towards the ocean. The sun was almost completely below the horizon, and it was beginning to get dark. They both watched the ocean and the sky, neither one looking towards the other, and this is just the way they liked it.

Please, don't speak, Sara prayed silently. She wanted it to be quiet and serene, just like now. She wanted it to be the perfect moment, in which they would not speak but merely enjoy each other's company. Sara leaned her head against his shoulder, and she felt him sigh contentedly although she did not hear it. She felt his hand on her back, rubbing gently, but before long it fell to the ground behind her.

And Sara couldn't help but think she had gotten her wish. They had put off talking about all that had happened, and in her opinion, never might be the best time.

**TT2**


	41. Strong

**A/N**: my updating skills are quite lacking.

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans? Not mine. Get it through your puny brain.**  
**

**TT2**

**Saturday October 10, 2019**

Two weeks had passed. Richard had stayed vigilant by Kori's side, sleeping, eating, and even doing most of his work from her bedside. He only left a night or two to get some sleep in his own bed, despite everyone's attempts to get him home more often. Kimi was worried for her father, and worried about the unthinkable. If the outcome was the same as she predicted, how would he handle it? And she hadn't even begun to contemplate how she would handle it. Raven had heard nothing of Beast Boy for the past two weeks and was scared she would never hear from him again. She didn't want to break down now, though, not when Richard and Kimi needed her. Raven needed to stay strong for everyone else.

Kimi paced in the living room as she waited for the others. They were all getting ready to go visit her mother. They wouldn't be long, since Kimi just wanted them to say some nice things to her so she would know she's loved.

Danny came in first, in jeans and a sweatshirt, watching her worriedly as she paced about. "Kim, calm down. You're making me nervous." He tugged on the hem of his sweatshirt to portray said nervousness.

"I'm making myself nervous," she retorted. He came forward, stopped her pace, and gave her a short kiss. She couldn't help but think where she would be right now if she had never met Danny. Would she be on Tamaran, with Tyson? Would everything be different? She hadn't noticed that they were now standing within two feet of each other, just staring blankly. Him, at her, her, into space.

"I know you're scared, Kim," he started, his hand coming up to rest on her cheek. Her gaze shifted away from his, her cheek moving so his hand was touching nothing but air. "Kimi?" His hand fell.

"I am scared," she responded quietly, fidgeting with her hands. "But I don't want to admit it. If I'm not strong, who will be? Certainly not my father. He's so weak and defenseless right now."

"But Kim, you don't have to be so strong all the time. It's not your responsibility to carry the weight of your entire family on your shoulders. Come 'ere." He opened up his arms and she gratefully took this as her cue to use him as her personal leaning post. Her arms wound around his shoulders and her head fell into the crook of his neck. "It's ok to let it out once in a while."

Kimi didn't want to start crying. She tried to turn her mind off, tried to forget everything that was happening, but it didn't seem to work. She hugged him tighter and closed her eyes, breathing in and out, deeply.

The door behind them slid open, though neither of them seemed to notice. "Don't mind us," Kyle started, Sara walking next to him with a small smile on her face. The pair jumped apart and Kimi blushed, but for what reason she did not know. "Hey, I said _don't _mind us."

Kimi looked at Danny, who was now looking at Sara and Kyle who were walking to the couch, hands intertwined. He nudged her, and pointed at their hands. Kimi, despite the current situation, let out a small chuckle. "You two are cute together," Danny joked. They looked at each other then looked down at their hands, pulling them away sheepishly.

The next to enter the room was Taku, shortly followed by Clara, who was religiously watching her cell phone screen. Her fingers were moving a mile a minute on the keypad. "Jake?" Sara asked knowingly, looking at her from her spot over the back of the couch.

"Yes," Clara responded indignantly, taking a seat on the couch.

Sara sighed to herself. "I'm still trying to decide if that boy is better or worse for you than when you were sulky and single," she joked. Clara glared at her sister and snapped her cell phone shut. She muttered something that sounded a lot like 'well, I don't see a man hanging off your arm'.

"So, we're all here?" Kimi asked, clapping her hands together. "Good, now let's get on our way. Kyle or Taku, who wants to drive?"

"I'd just like to say I don't trust Taku behind the wheel of a moving vehicle," Clara jutted in. "So I'd much rather like it if Kyle drove."

Taku glared at Clara, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're just jealous you don't have your license yet," he shot back.

"I'll drive," Kyle offered. "I think I'm a tad bit safer of a driver than Taku."

"Are not!" Taku retorted. "Are you kidding, I'm a safe driver!"

"Not really," three out of six Titans started in unison.

Taku sulked at his loss and let a little sneer cross over his face. "Whatever." Kimi rolled her eyes and motioned everyone towards the living room door, ready to go see her mother for the first time in two days.

They all piled into Kyle's car (which was a very sleek black BMW) and found that all six of them wouldn't fit anyways so they would as well have to take Taku's car, a slightly beat-up hand-me-down gold Audi convertible. Sara, Kyle, and Danny all slid into Kyle's car, while Kimi, Clara, and Taku slid into Taku's car.

Kyle and Taku started up their vehicles and watched the garage door rise, letting in enormous amounts of sunlight. Kyle pulled out in front of Taku and Taku followed thereafter, pumping up the volume of his iPod, connected to his radio. "You are such a freaking scary driver," Clara began, having to yell over the air whipping next to them and the pumped up music.

"Thanks, babe," he retorted, taking a sharp turn at a corner in the driveway. He caught up to Kyle and had to slow down significantly, to at the most twenty-five miles per hour. Kyle put on his blinker ten seconds before he turned out of the Titans Driveway, and Taku didn't even bother to turn his on.

"He's a fun driver. Not safe, but what you gonna do about it?" Kimi asked, making sure to buckle herself in.

"Hey, Clare?" he asked. "Can you change the song? I don't like this one. Put it on...the rap playlist please."

"Rap?" Clara questioned in a scrutinizing manner. "You can't spell crap without rap."

"Well I happen to like it," he retorted. "And who's the one driving right now?" Clara sighed and did as she was told, hearing some vulgar song begin to pulse from the speakers. "Thank you." He took a sharp turn and almost collided bumpers with Kyle.

"Taku, remind me never to get in a car with you EVER again," Kimi yelled over the roar of the wind.

"We're almost there, suck it up!" he joked, taking a sharp left just as the stoplight was about to turn red.

"Who taught you how to drive, a monkey?" Clara yelled.

"Your point?" Clara looked at him as if he had three heads. "Kidding! My God, I would never let a monkey teach me how to drive."

"Well, you never know..." Clara muttered under her breath.

Soon enough, though, they were parking in the visitor's parking lot of Jump City General. Taku screeched into the spot right next to Kyle, turning down his music just a tad before letting the engine die with a turn of the key.

"Who taught you how to drive, a monkey?" Kyle yelled once he had walked around his car to face Taku sternly.

"Why does everyone think just because I don't drive like a _grandma_," he glared pointedly at Kyle. "That a monkey must've taught me how to drive!?"

"I resent that!" Kyle retorted. "I drive very responsibly for someone my age!"

"Puh-lease! My dead Great-grandfather drives faster than you, Mr. Twenty-miles-per-hour-in-a-forty-five-mile-per-hour-zone," Taku quipped, sticking the keys into the pocket of his jeans. "Remind me to take the lead next time. I nearly fell asleep behind you."

"Who on Earth gave you your license?" Kyle asked, exasperated, as they began to walk to the elevator that would bring them up into the hospital. They continued to argue for the next few minutes about Taku's driving ability (or lack thereof), until Kimi was able to find the room her mother was being kept in. They stopped just outside and they all fell silent. Even the previous argument was forgotten.

"Look, only two people are allowed to be in there at once and right now my dad's at the cafeteria getting some food. I'd like to be in there when you guys are, so you'll have to go one at a time," Kimi told them.

"Ok," they all agreed, in soft voices.

"Danny?" Kimi asked. "Do you want to go first?"

He nodded, coming forward to take Kimi's side as they went through the door. He was greeted with a somewhat familiar sight, since he had already been here once before. He took Kori's side on the right, and Kimi took her side to the left. "Hi mom," Danny started with a small smile. Ever since they were seven he had called her mom because she was like a second mother to him. "I'm really worried about you. We all are. Kimi's been so strong through this all. You'd be so proud of her."

Kimi looked up at him and smiled gently. "Get better soon, ma. Do you know what life would be like without you here? It'd be unbearable." He took her hand and gave it a short squeeze, before leaning forward to give her a gentle hug.

"Thanks, Danny," Kimi whispered. "If she'll listen to anyone, she'll listen to you. She absolutely adores you."

He smiled at her. "I love you, Kim." He left the room and soon his seat was replaced by Kyle. Kyle looked at Kimi, and he too smiled shakily. There was a dead silence in the room except for the steady beep of the heart rate machine.

"Hey Kori," he began gently. "Starfire. I don't know which to call you right now." She was very informal, and had many times insisted the kids called her Kori or Starfire. "I can't believe it. One minute you were here and the next you were gone, and then I heard that you were in a life-or-death coma. It all happens so fast it's hard to catch up. Kori, I just want you to know we all care about you. We'll all be heartbroken if you...if you don't wake up. Just think of what you'll be doing to Kimi and Richard." He, as well, gave her hand a little squeeze.

"Be strong, Kim," Kyle told her, standing up and walking out the door, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his head cast downwards.

The next to come in was Taku. He took hiss eat without even looking at Kimi, his eyes fixed upon Kori. "Kori," he started, patting her hand. "Please get better. We're all worried about you. We all care about you. Please, if you can hear us, just stop making us suffer like this. You know we love you. We love you more than anything else. Don't do this to us."

He looked down to his hands, fiddling in his lap. "That's all I have to say," he directed towards Kimi. He stood and, like the others, went out the door. Soon after him Sara came in, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Kori," she began, but looking at Kimi. Kimi gave her a small smile and nodded to urge her on. "You've taught me so much. You've been such a great role model. I would feel horrible if you didn't have the chance to touch more lives if yours was cut short because of something as silly as this. You know we love you. Your family loves you, the Titans love you, heck, people halfway across the universe love you. Come back to us, Kor."

She gave her hand a small squeeze. "It'll all be ok, Kim."

She stood and walked out, rubbing her eyes in the process. The last to be sent in was Clara, who dropped her cell phone into her pocket just as the door swung open. She took the seat next to Kori and was silent for a moment. Kori's face twitched slightly, but she settled back into a deep, restless sleep. "Kimi, I don't know what to say," she finally began truthfully. "How can I say anything? Your mom's been such a great person. She's taught us and she's helped us become who we are in terms of the Titans. We wouldn't be anywhere without her."

Clara looked to her feet. "That's all I have to say," Clara told Kimi, sitting up in her chair. She patted Kori's hand. "We love you, Kor."

At that moment Richard Grayson came trailing through the door, his eyes sunken. He looked horrible (which was putting it nicely). His clothes were a few days too old, his hair was greasy, he looked emaciated and his expression was stony and painless. "Hi daddy," Kimi started in her sweetest tone. She had to baby him now, because she was never sure what could set him off.

"Hey Kim," he returned. Kimi looked at Clara, who took her cue and began on her way out the door. "It was sweet of you to bring your friends over to talk to her."

Kimi stood and made her way over to her father's chair. She leaned over and gave him a short, sweet hug. "It was the least I could do. She needs to get better, and she won't without us." Kimi let out a sigh. "I'm going to let you have your time with her. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon to check up on you two." She kissed her father's head and found that he smelled quite clean, but only looked more disheveled than a homeless man.

"You think I need checking up on?" he asked with a pitiful laugh.

"Dad..." Kimi trailed off.

"Yea Kim. I'll see you tomorrow." He looked back at Kori, then up again at her. "I love you."

"I love you too, daddy," Kimi whispered. "Call me if anything happens, ok?"

"Ok baby."

She crossed her arms over her chest and slowly walked out the slightly ajar door. She saw the others grouped outside the door, watching it with interest. Kimi smiled up at her teammates though she didn't exactly feel like smiling right now. "We can go home now you guys," she told them, starting down the hallway. Everyone followed after her, talking softly. Danny jogged to catch up with her quick pace and slung an arm around her shoulder when he did.

"Are you ok?" he asked, though he knew she would lie either way.

"I'm fine," she responded with fake jubilance.

He smiled at her. "You didn't really think I'd believe that, did you?"

"No, and that's why I love you, Dan," she responded.

They all filtered into the elevator that would take them straight down into the underground parking garage. Clara had whipped out her cell phone once more, giggled, then slipped it back into her pocket after dialing an extensive message. They all clamored out of the elevator and were able to make it back to the side-by-side cars without getting lost.

A motorcycle roared in the distance.

"Stupid people who think motorcycles are cool," Taku mumbled.

Kyle coughed indignantly.

The roaring got even louder, and louder, until bright lights lit up the dim garage and something large, black, and red came to a stop in front of them. A tall and broad boy got off this black monstrosity and pulled off a motorcycle helmet. "Hey babe," he directed at one of them.

"Hey Jake," Clara started bashfully, cantering forward and wrapping her arms around the broad teenager. "I'm going out for a little while." This phrase was more directed towards Kyle.

He inwardly groaned. "Clara, is that absolutely necessary?" And he knew this was the wrong thing to say because she looked mortally offended.

"Yes, actually, it is," she retorted.

"It's ok," Jake started. "We can go out later."

"No, Kyle can't tell us what to do. He's not our mother," Clara stated indignantly. "I'm going out, Kyle. I hope you're ok with that." Clara turned to Jake and slipped on the helmet he offered her. He slipped his back on. "I'll be home early...hopefully."

With that, she and Jake sped away.

**TT2**


	42. What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

**A/N**: Yay! Update! Go Winter Vacation!!

**Disclaimer**: The Teen Titans are not mine. kthnx.

**TT2**

**Saturday October 17, 2019**

It had been another week. Crime had been high in Jump City and there had been at least two crime busts every day. Kimi was happy that there had not been one today so she could finally visit her mother for more than five minutes. Danny would come with her, but the rest of the Titans would be staying home.

"MAIL CALL!" Kyle yelled so it rang throughout the tower. He began sorting it into piles as everyone clamored up for their mail. Kimi was there first, followed by Danny and Taku, then Sara, then Clara who was flanked by Jake. He was becoming a regular visitor at the tower.

"Kimi." He put the pile of letters into her hand. "Danny." He did the same. "Sara. Clara." He took a pile in each hand and gave them their mail. "Taku. And of course me."

Kimi set down her mail and picked up the first parcel, a fancy looking parchment envelope addressed from the mayor. "Oooh what's this?" she asked herself, eagerly tearing open the top and reaching in for an elegant piece of black parchment. She unfolded it, her eyes glued to the paper. "You, Kimiand'r of Tamaran, are cordially invited to the annual Mayor's Masquerade Ball, held at the Town Hall Ballroom on Saturday the thirty-first of October, two thousand six. Masks and formal attire required. The doors will open at five P.M., and music and festivities will begin at six thirty. Feel free to bring guests."

"Oh. My. God!" Sara exclaimed. "Ooh! This is going to be fun!"

She took her mail and galloped out of the room. "Oh God. Someone put a muzzle on her, because she's not gonna shut up," Clara deadpanned. "We'll be in my room if you need me." And they too left the room.

"Danny, this is gonna be great," Kimi bubbled. "A masquerade ball? How cool is that?"

"Yea, that's sure to be a lot of fun," he replied with a short laugh.

Kyle raised an eyebrow at one of his best male friends, who looked as if he were about to shoot himself in the face. "Doesn't that sound like fun, Kyle?" he asked, in a sickly sweet voice.

"You're whipped," Kyle mouthed, Kimi's back turned towards him.

Danny let out a little snarl, and Kyle supposed it would be smart to get out of there before Kimi stopped talking. He gave a little skip and started out of the living room, making his way towards his room. Sara popped out of the backup Computer Ops room, used mostly for leisurely purposes, carrying her opened mail in her arms.

"Hi there," she began in the bubbliest voice she had probably ever used.

"Why so happy?" he asked, as she fell in-step next to him.

"I just got an e-mail from my best friend, Marissa. Her mother and father were invited to the Ball, and her mother and father are going to bring her as a guest, so I'll get to see her in the first time since...since a long time ago," she ended pitifully. "Well, you get my point."

He chuckled. "Indeed I do." There was a slight pause which Kyle intended, just so his transition wouldn't seem sudden. "Do you think there's something weird about Clara's beau? He's a little shady if you ask me."

Sara wasn't about to tell him what she found out last night. She cared about him, but not enough to have him fly off the handle because a criminal had been staying in his house. "Yea, he's shady, but Clara likes him. The least we could do is support her. And he really seems to like her."

"Yea, he does," Kyle started thoughtfully. "And he seems nice once you talk to him."

"He is," Sara replied softly. They stopped at the door to her room and she could feel her cheeks growing hot. "Well, this is my room."

"Yes, it is," Kyle responded with a short chuckle.

Sara turned even redder.

"Well...bye..." she couldn't help but trail off, but had an adrenaline surge thereafter and leaned up to kiss him. Sara pulled away and gave a small half-smile. She was about to turn away, when he opened his mouth and let out a little squeak of embarrassment. "What was that?" she asked with a chuckle.

"I know we're already kinda going to see each other at the Masquerade Ball and everything, but I was wondering if you wanted to go together. You know, like, as a couple?" he asked, fiddling with his hands.

"I'd love to," Sara replied, a smile spreading across her face. "Now that you've asked me, I'm going to have to find a new dress instead of wearing one of my old ones. I want to look perfect."

Kyle smiled. "I'm glad you're willing to spend that extra time for me."

Sara turned pink. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, before walking away with his hands in his pockets. Though this was not normal, Sara could feel the aura of happiness radiating off of his body. Only when someone was feeling intensely could this happen to her or Clara, and apparently she had made Kyle the happiest man alive.

Sara smiled widely to herself and bounded through her sister's door, letting it gently glide open for her. "Clara!" she squealed, but was instantly met with the vision of her sister, laying on her bed, with Jake on top of her. Can we say hardcore make-out session. "Ew."

"Sara!" Clara squeaked, pulling away and glaring at her sister. "Was that absolutely necessary?"

"Yes!" Sara squealed. "Kyle asked me to the Masquerade Ball! And not just like 'we'll see each other there' ask me, but he full out 'can we go together?' asked me!!"

"That's amazing, can we be alone now?" Clara spat, still glaring at her over-excited sister.

"No! You have to come to the mall with me to get a dress! Today! Right now!" Sara bubbled enthusiastically.

Clara growled deep in her throat. "Sara..." she whined.

"No, it's ok, Clare," Jake started, sitting up from under her. She fell back, sitting on his knees. "You can go find a dress for yourself too. Since, you know..." he trailed off, not sure if she wanted him to say it in front of her sister. "That's just longer you'll keep me in suspense to see it, which is kind-of a good thing for you."

Clara smiled. "Ok." She turned to her sister. "Go get dressed. We'll have Taku take us in thirty minutes."

Sara squealed and bounded into her room.

"I'm sorry," Clara started, sliding off of her bed and helping him up. She smiled at him. "But I guess I need to find a dress too."

"Something sexy...but classy," he suggested.

"I'll get whatever I want and you'll like it," Clara retorted, but giving a little chuckle. "What was it that you said you wanted to tell me? You know, before our little moment."

His face fell and his eyebrows knitted together. "Ah, I'll tell you later. It's not that important."

"Ok, well..." Clara trailed off. "By the way, I think I might use a spell on my hair to turn it back to the natural blonde color. I haven't been blonde since I was...probably thirteen."

"I'd like that," Jake told her softly. "You'd look even more beautiful than you are now."

"You are such a sweetie. I can't believe you're really a villain. I never would've guessed if I didn't know," Clara mumbled, reaching forward to give him a hug. "I'll see you later."

"Later, babe." He went to the window, threw it open, and took a flying leap before disappearing into thin air.

Clara sighed, hating having to say goodbye to Jake to please her sister. But, she had to admit, she loved her sister more than any boy, and she would do anything to make her happy. She pulled off her pajamas, which she still had on since Jake's surprise visit, and pulled on a pair of dark jeans and a dark blue tee-shirt. She threw on her favorite jacket, Jake's dark blue track jacket, and then slipped on black flip-flops. She didn't bother with make-up, since she wasn't in the mood, and walked out of her room to see Sara waiting for her.

"Hello," she greeted brightly, looking even brighter in a pair of light blue ripped jeans, a pink long-sleeve shirt and a red lacy tank-top over it. On top of that she had a white down vest.

"You look cute," Clara noted. "Those colors work well together on you."

"Thanks. I just bought this a week ago and haven't had much time to wear it," she stated. "I was thinking instead of bothering Taku, we could just pull up a portal to the mall. I know exactly how to pull up one that will bring us into a janitor's closet so no one sees us."

Clara shrugged. "Ok. Let me just..." she waved her hand and muttered a simple spell, so two pieces of paper appeared out of no where and stuck to their doors. "...now they'll know where we are."

"Ok...one, two, three...Krelakta O Bosna Ni Fetra." A portal opened up right there in the hallway, and the two sisters eagerly stepped in. They ended up in a dark room, filled with buckets, mops, brooms, and other such janitorial devices.

They left through the only door in the room and were instantly thrown into the hustle and bustle of the Jump City Mall. "Oh, whoops," Clara started. "We should've invited Kimi!"

"She's going to see her mom today," Sara noted.

"But she might still make time. Give me your phone, I left mine at home."

Sara handed over her cell phone and let Clara punch in Kimi's number. They began walking in the direction of Jump City's largest dress store. "Hey Kimi. Sara and I went to the mall to get dresses for the ball, and we know you're visiting your mom today, but we though maybe you could make time to come with us."

There was a pause, in which Clara "mhmm"ed several times. "That's great! OK, we'll meet you at Bethany's."

"She's coming?" Sara asked.

"She's meeting us here, staying until three, and then meeting Danny at the hospital," Clara explained. They walked and talked for a few minutes, until they arrived at somewhat of a dress superstore. They walked inside and immediately Clara shifted towards the darker colors, while her counterpart shifted toward the lighter colors.

"Clara!" Sara called. "Try a light color for once. You'd look really pretty."

Clara sighed and grudgingly joined her sister, who was sifting through a rack of sparkling dresses. "Try a nice silver, or lavender."

Sara picked up a ball gown, a pale blue sleeveless. "What do you think?"

"No," Clara deadpanned. "It's not you at all."

Sara picked up a gold one, a strapless that fanned widely at the base. "Gold's not for you either. Try white or burgundy."

Clara picked up a silver A-Line dress, sneered at it, then put it back. This went on for quite a few minutes, while Sara picked up dresses that she absolutely adored, until Kimi came bounding into the store. "Hey guys," she started.

"Hey Kimi," they both replied.

"Kimi, what color do you think I'd look best in?" Sara asked.

"White, no doubt," Kimi informed her. "And Clara, you're definitely a silver or lavender."

"Why thank you," Clara replied sarcastically.

"No prob."

"Kimi, you're a midnight blue. Enhances your eyes," Sara told her.

Kimi shifted towards the darker colors, trying to find a dark blue dress that she liked. They each took to a rack and rifled through, picking out possibilities for dresses. "I think I've found the perfect one!" They all yelled at the same time. They all shared glances and then raced to the fitting rooms.

Each of them slipped on their 'perfect dress'. "On the count of three!" Sara called, once she had asked if they were all dressed and ready. "One, two, three!"

They all came sliding out of their dressing rooms. Kimi was dressed in a strapless midnight blue gown that hugged her curves and fanned out, making her look like the tamaranian princess that she is. Sara was dressed in a white number, that hooked around her neck and exposed her entire back, dropping down into a long, pleated skirt. Clara was dressed, amazingly, in something that was not dark. It was a beautiful silver gown that was pencil-straight, and hugged her waist, making her look about five years older.

They all took turns looking at each other, dumbfounded. "Kimi, you look amazing!" Sara started. "And Clara...my Lord, girl. Jake's gonna die."

"Jake asked you?!" Kimi asked.

"How'd you know?" Clara asked her sister.

"I know everything," she replied with a small smile. "Oh my Lord, we look amazing. How easy was that? Now all we need are masks."

In their dresses, they wandered over to a counter that held masks, solely for this purpose. They each looked, pointing out the more expensive ones (like a white one laced with diamonds) or the prettier ones (a multi-colored mask with a silver-lining).

"What about this one?" Clara asked, holding a silver mask with a black lining. It matched the black lining of her dress. She held it over her eyes. "Good?"

"Great," Sara told her. She picked up a small white one that flared up at the corners. It had sparkles sprinkled over it. She held it over her eyes. "Is this one OK?"

"It's sparkly," Clara pointed out.

"It's pretty," Kimi offered, picking up a mask of her own. It was a dark blue mask with lighter blue lining the eye-openings and the edge. It looked good, considering her eyes were about the same color as the lining.

"That one looks good," Clara started, watching Kimi hold it up to her eyes. "I like it."

"Is it just me, or do y'all think we're going to look amazing?" Sara asked. "Danny, Kyle, and Jake will drop dead. Not gonna lie."

"I must admit, I agree. Those boys will go wild once they see us. We look good."

Kimi looked at Clara like she had three heads. "Are you kidding? We're drop-dead sexy!"

Clara smirked. "Well, I gotta say..." she trailed off. "We do look sexy."

"Thatta girl, Clara. Now, let's go grab shoes at Socal."

The three of them changed back into their normal clothes and paid for their outfits, which altogether rang up to $927.45. They all marveled at how expensive these gowns and masks were, before moving on to the shoe store in which they set off like-well, like females.

Oh, how fun it is to be a girl.

**TT2**

Kimi flew to the hospital at four, her dress in one hand and the bag with the mask and shoes in the other. She landed on the ground and entered the hospital, taking the familiar route to her mother's room. She took a deep breath, folding her dress over her arm so she wouldn't step on it. He stomach growled as she stepped into the elevator and she realized she had not eaten lately.

Kimi stepped out of the elevator and could see Danny down the long hallway. He stood there with his hands in his jeans, his uncut and unkempt hair falling into his face. It seemed brighter than it had been when she had seen him three hours ago.

"Hey Dan," she started softly. "You're going to love my dress." She tried desperately to take away the feeling of emptiness they had inside this hospital.

"I'm sure I will." With his hands still in his pockets, he leaned forward and kissed her softly. "Kimi, you're so special to me. Don't forget that. No matter what happens. I'm just reminding you that on the off-chance that anything happens, I'll always be here for you."

"I know, Danny."

They entered the room together. Kimi sat her stuff in an unused chair in the corner, and then walked over to her father who was draped across Kori, asleep. Kimi rubbed his head gently. "Dad. Daddy?"

He jolted awake, only to be disappointed that it was not Kori rubbing his head. "Hey baby," he groaned, reaching forward so the muscles in his shoulders cracked. He twisted his spine, and four audible cracks could be heard. "I've been sleeping for...for at least eight hours. I had the best dream, that your mother and I were Titans and we were just sitting on the roof of Titans Tower, watching the sunset."

"I love you, daddy."

Danny took the chair on the other side of the bed, patting Kori's hand. "Any changes?"

"Her breathing is getting softer and slower, and sometimes she won't breath for ten seconds. The doctors aren't sure what to make of it. I'm scared," he admitted, still holding her hand.

"Don't be, dad, she'll be fine."

Kimi walked around the bed to stand next to Danny. She put her hand on her mom's forehead and smoothed her hair back. "I love you mom. Get better soon." She looked around the room, seeing various flowers, cards, and tokens of admirers that had come from all over the U.S.A. Her room was almost full to the point of bursting. "Just look at how many people care about you. Your room is filled with flowers and cards and gifts. You're probably the most loved woman in Jump City. Granted ninety-nine percent of that love comes from dad..."

Kimi felt Danny's hand on her back, rubbing gently.

"Thanks for being here, Kim," her dad started gently. "It means a lot to me, and I'm sure it means a lot to her."

"You didn't even need to ask, dad. I'd kill to spend time with her at this point. That's what's hassling about being a Teen Titan. I rarely get time to come-" Suddenly, hers and Danny's communicators rang. Kimi dug into her pocket for hers and flipped it open, just as Danny did the same.

"Black Baron, downtown, Plasmium vault. Crap, he's getting more power!" Kimi exclaimed. "We gotta stop him."

Kimi stuffed her communicator back into her pocket. She grabbed Danny's hand and they both ran to the window. She threw it open, letting in the cold October air. Letting a deep breath slide past her lips, she prepared herself to fly.

"We'll be right back, dad," she called back. "You ready, Dan?"

He nodded, and Kimi took off towards the mid-day sun.

**TT2**

The Titans all regrouped in front of the warehouse said to hold Black Baron. Sara changed Danny and Kimi, thereafter producing a large ball of magic to knock down the large metal door. Clara stood ready for back up as the smoke cleared. She rushed in, looking around for any sign of life.

"Titans, GO!" Hawk yelled from the back of their formation.

Clara flew forward, searching around stacks of boxes and steel storage cases, around machines and packaging paraphernalia. She wondered if she were black baron, where would she be. Well, she was only second best, his girlfriend. She flew around a bit more and found him stealthily crouching behind a steel Plasmium developer.

"FOUND HIM!" She yelled.

Clara threw herself headfirst on him and straddled him (deja vu of this afternoon, I must say). She pulled back her arm and mumbled a spell, her hand glowing bright pink.

"You move, and this might just be the most pain you've ever had in your life," she threatened.

"You'd never do that," he retorted, in a very cocky manner.

"Try me," she hissed. "_Jacoby_."

"I told you never to call me that!" he spat at her. "Oh, that's it!"

He turned her around so quickly that she smacked her hand and the magic was gone. He straddled her, pulling two round discs out of his belt and sticking them to either side of her cape. She struggled to get up, but to no avail.

"Kejara La Octa!" she chanted and they instantly exploded, sending small pieces flying everywhere.

Sara and Danny finally slid from behind a box, watching them fight. Danny concentrated hard and created a ring of fire around them, controlling it with his mind so it wouldn't get out of hand. Sara chanted something to send a jolt of electricity up his spine. He screamed in pain and rolled over, right into the line of fire. He was in so much pain, he didn't notice that fire currently burning through his suit.

Moonfire and Hawk slid over to help her, and soon Taku came as well. Clara freaked out as she saw him, lifeless, sitting in the middle of the fire.

"Danny, stop it!!" she screamed.

Danny immediately stopped the fire, and they all watched as Clara scrambled over to Black Baron. She looked him up and down, watching him as he just laid there. Most of his uniform and his mask had been burnt off, revealing red blotches almost everywhere on his skin. Thank the Lord, though, no one could see his face through the burns.

"Jake," Clara whispered to herself, so no one would hear. "Brunnia Resta Ke Lacreta."

Her hand passed over his right leg, the burns shrinking under the black light. She did the same thing down his left leg, the burns reducing to mere red spots. Her hands passed over his abdomen and up his chest. Her hands scanned his arms, and the finally, they came to hover over his face as the Teen Titans watched her with interest. Her hands pressed against his face, and the visible burns disappeared. His face became clear to them all.

There was a collective gasp.

Clara fell back so she was sitting on her feet, her face in her hands.

"That's...that's..." Hawk started. "Clara did you know?"

"She didn't," Sara started, hoping to save her sister. Clara's head snapped up and she looked at her sister with interest. "She would've told me. I know she would've told me. She didn't know, Kyle."

Jake still laid there, his breathing slow and steady. He was surely unconscious, and wouldn't wake up for a while.

"No, Kyle, I did know," Clara told him defiantly.

Sara looked at her sister as if she were loony.

"I've known since the day I met him. But he truly is a nice guy. He's only evil because he would be killed if he wasn't. He works for the HIVE, and you know how violent they are. If he just stopped being a villain, he'd be tracked down, tortured, and most likely murdered," Clara explained in a soft tone. "He's not bad. He's just made some mistakes."

Kyle sighed. "Wake him up, Clara."

"But-"

"Clara!" You could tell Kyle was losing his patience.

Clara muttered a simple spell, and soon his eyes were slowly starting open. "Clara?" he started unsurely. His eyes shifted to the other five standing around him. "Oh shit."

Clara put her hand under his head and helped him sit up, as he continued looking at the others around him. "So...I guess I'm caught. Yea, it's me. I'm Jake, normal teenager by day and super-villain by night." He bent over himself and held his stomach. "What happened?"

"You got burnt...bad," Kyle informed him. "Clara patched you up, mostly."

"Sorry about that," Danny started sheepishly. "Sara shocked you and I just intended to keep you in one place. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's ok. I've hurt you worse," he admitted.

"Are you ok?" Clara asked softly, her hand on his back.

"I won't be once the HIVE found out I was...well...found out."

There was a high pitched squealing, a far away noise but still doing sufficient damage to Danny's sensitive ears. Jake slowly looked up, his face horrified. His head whipped each way and he realized that a bright light began to fill the warehouse.

"Go!" He shouted at the Teen Titans. He looked at Clara. "Go! Now! I-"

A loud, high-pitched whine filled the air and Jake snapped back, his spine arching as he screamed out in pain. Clara panicked, watching him writhe in pain. "Clara, GO!" He managed, letting out a loud shriek of pain.

"No!" Clara yelled at him. "I'm not leaving you! Kimi!"

Kimi flew forward and picked him up in her arms.

"Take him back to the tower," Clara told him, looking up at Kyle. "And Kyle, don't you even dare give your input. He's being attacked, and I'm not leaving him here."

Kimi started off, up through the air and out through a large window. Kyle started off towards the T-Car, along with Danny. Clara chanted her mantra and started flying, alongside Sara and Taku who was bending every which way to keep up with her.

"What's going on?" Taku asked her as Kyle quickly started up the T-Car.

"The HIVE must be coming after him," Clara was convinced.

There was a silence as Kyle took off, leaving Sara, Clara, and Taku just slightly behind. Sara looked at her sister and thought for a second, then looking at Taku. "Clare, you know who Jake looks like?"

"Who?" Clara asked, interested.

"Well, like Sean."

Clara thought about this for a few moments. "No. No, because Sean had black hair and..."

"Jake has black hair."

"But Sean had green eyes and..."

"Jake has green eyes."

"But when you put it that way, he looks like Taku too!" Clara argued.

Titans Tower was coming into view.

"Well..." Sara trailed off. "All of them. They look alike. It's scary."

"Sara, just..." Clara ended up trailing off as well.

None of them spoke until the landed on the roof of Titans Tower. Figuring Kimi had taken him to the Med Center, they all traveled down there, in silence. They were all reviewing what Sara had just brought to light. Clara thought she was just letting her imagination get away with her. Sara thought she was ingenious. Taku thought he looked a lot like Matthew...

They entered the room, solemn, watching for any signs of life. Kimi was monitoring his vital signs over by the wide-screen computer. Taku and Sara joined him, as Clara took his bedside. Kyle and Danny came in not too long after.

"How is he?" Kyle asked.

"He's out cold. There's been severe damage to his body. I've monitored his vital signs and there's no immediate problem, but there is some internal damage. There are some lacerations in some of his lesser-important organs, as you can see here," Kimi pointed out.

Clara knew she was pointing to something on the computer, but Clara didn't dare to look. She only stood, chanted her mantra, and began to repair the wounds she could not see. After all, those were the ones that could hurt the most.

"He'll be fine."

Clara finished what she was doing and sunk back into her chair, looking at his moonlit face. He looked so much like Sean. And Taku. Why did it feel like this was getting weird?

"We should probably just let him rest for now," Kimi suggested.

"I want someone to be keeping an eye on him at all times," Kyle enforced. "Clara, do you want to watch him for a while, and then switch off with someone?"

"I'll watch him until he wakes up," she offered. "It's not like I have anything better to do on a Saturday night. He was my Saturday night."

The others came over and stood behind her, each putting a hand on her back. "Let's let them alone. Give them some time," Sara murmured.

The others filtered out while Sara dwindled behind.

"Sare, can you bring me my photo album, please?" Clara asked.

Sara gave her silent agreement, and flew silently from the room. Clara sat there, dumbfounded of how she got herself into this mess. What did she do to deserve such a messed up life? She watched Jake for a few more minutes, listening to the steady "beep...beep...beep" of the computer. Sara soon came in, holding the leather-bound book in her hands.

"Thanks." Clara's voice sounded different, even to herself.

"No problem. If you need anything else, Clare, call me on your communicator."

Clara nodded dumbly, laying the tome on her lap. She opened it up to the first page, the one with her on Sean's back. Normally this picture would make her cry, but today it only made her smile. It made her think of all the times she and Sean shared, and how much she wished she could say before his death. She wished she could say I love you, or at least tell him her secret. Pages kept turning as if they were turning themselves. She looked at the pictures and remembered a particularly funny time with each one.

And with each one, she realized that this had been a happy period in her life. She was blonde, dressing bright, and living it up. Did a boy really do this to her? Make her into a giggling, love-sick puppy?

Jake stirred. "What happened now?" he groaned. Clara set the book on her chair.

"The HIVE. They did something to you."

"They have homing sensors implanted in my skin," he told her. "They found out I was in the warehouse for longer than expected and were coming to find me. They got so close that the sensors went out of whack. It's all coming back to me now."

"You've been out for an at least an hour. I was sitting here, just looking at an old photo album...I...uh..." Clara didn't know what to say.

"About what I was going to tell you before," he began. "I need to tell you this before it's too late. Jenna, you know Vic's girlfriend, she's my mother, and she's a major super-villain."

He had to begin somewhere.

"What?!" Clara asked, her expression completely stunned.

"She and I have been in the HIVE since we were littluns. Me, I've been training since I was...I've got to say four. We're the best criminal duo they have, by force I assure you. If I didn't have to, I wouldn't be a criminal. But, I am, and there's nothing that can change us. And I need you to know that this relationship is supposed to be a scam. I'm supposed to be using you, just to get to the Titans. Don't let the Titans know you know, because anyone knowing can jeopardize my life, let alone my mission."

"Jake, don't worry, I won't tell anyone. It's just...kind-of a lot of information to process," she admitted. "I'm sorry. I wish I could be more helpful."

"You've been helpful enough trying to get the Titans to trust me. I mean, without you they would've left me there to die." Clara started forward and wrapped him in a hug.

"Get some sleep," Clara ordered. "You need it."

Jake gave her a small smile, before turning onto his back and closing his eyes. "Lay down with me," he asked of her, patting the space next to him.

"I can't," she told him, though the offer was highly desired. "But I'll stay here until you fall asleep."

There was a small smile on his face as he fell asleep.

**TT2**


	43. Impostor

**A/N**: Oh my GOD! It's been like three months! What is wrong with me? I'm so sorry. It's just I've been very busy with school and sports and my social life (actually I really don't have one so that was a lie) but I just haven't found any time and hate using my computer because it's so slow and I can never upload a document without it screwing up. Anyways, enjoy, and the next few chapters will be up all throughout this coming week. Have fun!

**Disclaimer**: Yea, I wish they were mine.

**TT2**

**Sunday October 18, 2019**

The next morning, Clara woke up bright and early, stretching, enjoying the sunlight coming in her window. She stood, walked to her vanity, and looked in the mirror. She was finally happy with what she saw, loose blonde curls that fell to her chest. She looked much like Sara, except Clara's cheekbones were a little bit more defined.

She finally looked human again, not like some half-demon witch. Although she disapproved of the stereotypical blonde supermodel image, she had to admit the blonde hair worked with her skin complexion.

She walked out into the hallway, still in her pajamas. Sara came out and joined her, a smile on her face as she saw her twin...who finally looked like she was her twin.

"You look good," Sara commented offhandedly.

"For some reason, I feel good," Clara told her.

Clara ran a hand through her hair as her sister and she separated paths. Clara was going to see Jake, who was currently being watched by Danny. Knowing Danny, though, he had left since he couldn't care less about Jake.

Clara entered the room to see Danny had fallen asleep in an arm chair and Jake was wide awake. He slowly looked up and smiled like Clara had not seen him smile before. "Hey there," he began, his eyes shining. "You look different. I like it."

"I thought you would."

Clara took a seat next to his bed.

"Are you feeling any better? You took it pretty hard last night. I figured you'd be asleep well into the day," she told him, patting his hand, then realizing he was looking at the photo album she left in the infirmary the other night.

"I'm fine. I'm great," he told her.

"Oh. Ok."

"Look, I've got to get going. I'm sure Jenna's worried about me," he told her. "And I'm sure I'll have to lay low for a while. I might not see you until the ball." He sat up. "In case you don't, I'll be wearing a black suit, a silver shirt, a green tie, and a silver mask. You should be able to notice me in that."

"I'm sure I will," Clara responded. "And please, try and see me sometime before that. I know you're busy but..."

"Yea, busy fighting off you guys so I can stay alive."

Jake climbed out of the bed. He gave Clara a short kiss, then smoothing down the clothes that someone had probably put on him after they tore off his burnt uniform.

"I'll see you later, Jake."

He smiled, turned and disappeared before her eyes.

**TT2**

**Thursday October 22, 2019**

"Clara, you have to admit, he looks a lot like Taku. And Sean. GOD maybe they were triplets or something." Of course Sara was kidding, but she had no idea just how intelligent she was. "But come ON!"

"Sara, let it go. He's just...Jake. He's not Sean, he's not Taku's long-lost brother. He's just a misguided boy that has no idea what he wants in life," Clara finished profoundly as they walked into the living room a few days later.

Kyle was sitting on the couch, battling Danny in some stupid videogame.

"I feel bad for him. A recruit for the HIVE. I mean, there's only one way out. It's gotta be rough for him."

"It is. It's rough trying to make this work, trying to watch out for him. I'm scared," Clara confessed, grabbing a juice from the fridge. "I wish he could be a normal kid."

Sara shrugged, looking at her sister.

"Clara, you're so sweet. Caring for that boy and all. It's wonderful the way you guys have each other's backs," her counterpart commented. "It seems like you really like him...love him," Sara tried, watching her sister for a reaction.

"Yea, I guess," Clara sighed.

The two sisters took their seats on the couch, watching the fierce battle raging before them.

"Danny, you're going to lose," Sara predicted rather confidently.

"Thanks, Sare, love you too."

Kimi entered the room, a joyful bounce in her step. She floated over the couch and landed next to Danny, reclining into the cushion. She watched the game with half-interest for a few minutes, before looking at Danny.

"Danny, you're going to lose."

"Kimi!?" Danny exclaimed. "Of course I'm going to lose now that I know you THINK I'm going to lose."

"Oh Danny, don't worry. That's what I like about you. You're not a loser like Kyle so you don't spend hours on end playing this game. That's the only reason you're going to lose," Kimi theorized.

"Aw, Kim. You're so sweet," he cooed, and whilst still playing leaned over to give her a sideways kiss. He didn't bother taking his eyes off the screen.

"So, Clare, whatever happened to Jake?" Kimi asked.

No one seemed to notice when he slipped out that morning. Clara had told them that he was feeling better, and they accepted this. There had not been an attack from him since. Everyone was suspecting it though, and that's what made Clara nervous.

**TT2**

"Jenna!"

Victor cried desperately to the woman he now knew and cared for.

"Please don't do it."

"Vic, I have to. Would you rather I die?"

"I'd rather neither. Jenna..." he trailed off. "Please don't do it."

She pulled on her black gloves, one sleek patent leather glove per pale, delicate hand.

"Victor, I like you. You know I do. And you know how hard it is for me to express my feelings so blatantly. I would do anything for you, but this is the one thing I can't do. I can't stop. I can't fight. I have to be subordinate and like it."

"You never did like taking orders."

"And I never will."

She gave him a sweet kiss before pulling on her glossy mask.

"Promise me you'll stop one day."

"I will. Soon. Just not now," came her unrecognizable voice, scratchy yet honest. "I have to get Jake to safety first. I have to protect him."

"He's safe now, isn't he?" Victor asked.

"For now. I can't keep him there permanently. Matt is close to being found out. The HIVE knows he's not dead."

Jenna walked over to the window, eight stories up. She threw it open and pulled herself up to the ledge. Her body suddenly felt very heavy against the soft November breeze. She didn't look back as she jumped.

**TT2**

"Titans, GO!"

The Titans had gotten the call soon after Kyle pwned Danny at Turbo Racers Seven. They were soon on their way towards a laboratory in the downtown area. Kimi was yelling into her communicator as she was flying, the wind whipping loudly past her.

"Dad, Dad...no...DAD! NOW! We need your help! There's seven of them! And no doubt the HIVE sent them because Black Baron is there!" She conveniently left out that Black Baron was currently Clara's beau and Jenna's son. "Mom will be fine for a few minutes without you!"

Kimi closed her communicator and caught up to her team, who had sped ahead. "Titans, stand your ground. Don't give up. There's seven of them. We can do this," Kyle's voice came from below.

Kimi was silent as they pulled up to the supposed break-in spot, a well-known and well-accredited research center in the posh upper district. The three girls flying settled to the ground, and Taku stretched back to his normal height, next to Kimi. Hawk held his finger to his lips, nodding towards the door that was currently blasted open. Several loud noises could be heard inside, although HIVE agents were supposedly quieter than ninjas.

"Titans, follow me," he began, leading them with his hand.

They gently tip-toed into the laboratory, looking for any sign of life. A shadow moved in the corner and Kimi silently took off. Another shadow and Sara was gone. A rumble came and Kyle sprinted forward. A squeak came and Taku was twisting his body forward. One more noise and Danny was off like a rocket.

Clara was alone, watching for one more sign of life, maybe even one from Jake. She would be disappointed he was here, but she knew he had to, to save his own life. Clara gave a little lurch as another squeak erupted, but it was found to be only a mouse. Only a mouse.

In a flash Clara was on the ground, dazed. Something hard had struck her in the back of the head, silently and swiftly. She pushed herself up and rolled, just narrowly missing another dangerous blow to the head.

She looked up into the cold, steely mask of Black Baron and felt her lips tremble. He tried to strike again, but she had rolled once more, snapping up with a spell on her lips. She hissed this potentially dangerous curse, and he was on the ground within seconds, bound together by rope.

"Black Baron," she spat.

"Clara," he hissed in return. "Spoiled little bitch."

It hurt, true, but she knew this was bound to happen one day. He was bound to turn against her, and she was bound to realize he had only used her. She watched dumbly as he wriggled out of the rope, jumping up and at the same time pulling out a weapon that looked mighty dangerous.

"Take this!"

He jolted forward but Clara was fast and pulled up a shield, bouncing on her toes.

"Give me everything you've got! I can take it!" she shouted at him. "Unlike you, I'm not a wuss! I say things and I mean them and I mean it when I say you're going down!"

She pulled down her shield and unleashed everything she had. All the pent up anger, frustration, all the depression, every emotion she had ever felt came out in one blow. Black Baron was knocked off his feet and sent into a pile of boxes a few feet backwards. He was no doubt unconscious. Clara walked over to him, wiping her hands together, an evil smirk on her face.

"That's what you get for fucking with Clara Walters."

She squatted next to him, looking him up and down. One of his limbs was twisted in a funny position and she began to feel remorse. She began to feel as if maybe she had done the wrong thing. She reached for his mask and pulled it off of his face, just to reveal someone who was most certainly NOT Jake Jinks.

"What the-?" she began to herself and whipped around, feeling as if someone would be there to explain.

But no one was. She was alone, listening to the sounds of fighting going on around her.

"Clara!" Someone called desperately. "MAN DOWN!"

She recognized the voice as Taku's, and he seemed in pain. She was up in seconds.

"CLARA!" Came the shrill shriek of her sister. "TAKU NEEDS HELP!"

Clara sat up and flew forward. She followed the sounds of Taku's pained whimpers, and soon found him lying on the ground under a large mass of gears and machinery. He looked as pale as ever, and as if he were about to pass out.

"Taku, what's wrong?!"

He made a little gurgling sound, and Clara deduced that the machinery crushed him flat. He couldn't breathe. She tried to push it over, but to no avail, and merely settled for trying to remembering her lifting spell

"Oh God, hold on Taku," she told him, trying to think while also trying to push it off of him.

She backed up. "Magne Reta Bu Toya!"

It lifted just a foot. His body began to re-shape. He took in deep gulps of air as Clara strained to keep it up off of him. He realized she was standing there, straining, and weakly rolled over. Clara set it back down with a deafening crash.

"Taku!" she exclaimed. "Are you ok?"

"...fine," he gasped. "I need...air."

Clara lifted his neck and tilted his head back, trying to open the airway (something she learned from a freshman CPR class). He took in deep, gulping breaths.

"Please don't die on me," she started. "It'll look very bad for me if you die in my arms."

He let out a weak chuckle, but his eyes soon widened.

"Clar...a!" he rasped.

Clara turned around just in time to face a figure clothed in all black. The figure aimed toward Taku, but Clara knocked her down. This knocked the wind out of her, leaving Clara sputtering. She tried to get up, but the figure had straddled her and was now aiming for her face.

Clara murmured a spell under her breath and a black shield blew this figure off of her, sending it several feet away. It immediately got up and tried to attack Taku more, but Clara was able to ward him or her off with another spell.

"Try again!" Clara demanded. "I'm not letting you hurt him!"

The figure did a spin kick and hit Clara in the gut, sending her flying backwards into a bunch of boxes. She looked up and saw the figure menacingly prowling her way. Two feet away Clara flinched, not thinking fast enough, waiting for attack.

But it never came. She watched as Taku wrapped himself two, three, four, five times around it, binding their limbs.

"Clara!" he rasped. "Now!"

Taku unraveled as Clara powered up one of her spells, hitting the black mass just as Taku pulled away. The person spun out of control into a lab table filled with toxic chemicals. Smoke arose around their body, and within seconds the body had disappeared into thin air. Clara stood, brushing herself off with the help of Taku, whose breathing was coming in short, raspy gasps.

"What was that?" he asked, his voice scratchy like an old man's.

"I don't know, Taku. I just don't know."

**TT2**


	44. Time Consumer

**A/N**: Damn. Two updates in one week? I'm on a roll!

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans are not mine so...yea...sue me!

**TT2**

**Tuesday October 27, 2019**

Almost the entire weekend was spent trying to figure out what these things had been. They did not seem human, and yet they fought just like any other man or woman would. Kyle had spent ninety-nine percent of the past five days in his room or in the crime analysis lab, or on the roof. They rarely saw him, except for meals and training. Kimi was beginning to be a rare occurrence too, constantly going to visit her mother. The doctors said they were scared that her condition was getting worse, although they had no stone evidence to back their predictions up.

"It's so quiet around here," Taku said to Clara, as he took a seat next to her on the couch. "With Kimi and Danny at the Hospital, Kyle caught up in his own thing, and Sara out doing God knows what."

"Shopping, most likely," Clara snorted.

Clara continued flipping, not bothering to look at Taku.

"How's life?" he asked.

"Suck-ish."

"Suck-ish? Do tell," he urged, trying to get a conversation out of this.

"Jake hasn't been around lately. I want to know what happened at the laboratory."

It was common knowledge that the Black Baron Clara had taken down at the laboratory was not her beau, Jake. Clara had wondered for days where he had been, or more to the point, what the HIVE did to him. She knew they had something to do with this.

"He's fine, Clare. I'm sure," Taku told her with a gentle smile. "I'm sure he wouldn't be able to stay away from you even if he tried."

Taku leaned back into the couch as Clara continued flipping. That had been a nice thing he said to her, and she had to admit she was beginning to like Taku more and more each day. She was slowly opening up to the people around her, and depending less on the outside world.

Taku slowly began to move his hands, Clara could see out of the corner of her eye. She stopped flipping, and she wasn't even sure if he had noticed. Her head slowly turned, cocking at him as it went, watching his fingers move diligently.

"What are you doing?" Clara asked, not snidely, but in interest.

"I don't know. Air guitar?" he suggested. "No clue why. I had an urge."

"Do you even know what song you're playing? Are you even playing a song?" Clara questioned.

"I know it's a song I've played before...hold on..." he thought hard for a moment, his fingers moving and his body jerking. "Oh, I know. Time Consumer, by Coheed and Cambria. The greatest song ever played."

Clara's phone, from her pocket, suddenly began to ring. She had to dig it out, and only after four rings did she manage to successfully pull it out of her jeans. She looked at the caller ID, which did not come up, and her eyebrows rose in interest.

"Hello?" she asked after holding it up to her ear.

"Hey there," came a deep, rumbling voice. There was a soft sound in the background.

Taku stood, mouthed that he would be right back, and evaded the room. Clara was alone.

"Jake?" she asked. "Where are you? Or...where were you? What happened? Did the HIVE find you out?" she spouted off all at once. "You don't know how worried I've been. And once I saw that the Black Baron in the lab wasn't you-"

"Wait, what?" he began. "How did you know I was gone? What Black Baron, what lab?"

"You seriously don't know?"

The soft sounds ceased and there was a rustle.

"I have no clue, Clare," he honestly answered.

"We got called down to Market Laboratories on Thursday of last week, and about seven black figures were there, including Black Baron. I thought it was you and he was being an asshole, so I knocked him out. But then I pulled off his mask and found out that it wasn't you. It was someone else I had never seen in my life," she explained. "How do you answer that one?"

"My mother put me into hiding for a few days. She told the HIVE that I had come down with a disease that could be deadly if I wasn't in solitary confinement. I'm staying with another ex-HIVE member, my mom's friend Matt," he responded. "I would've come to see you but it's risky. I do promise I'll be there this Saturday though. Wild horses couldn't stop me."

"I won't see you until Saturday?" Clara asked.

"Not even in battle," Jake started. "I might not even be back into the villain business for another few weeks. Like I said, it's risky. I need some time to chill, to figure this out and create a plan to get out of it."

"I can help you," Clara offered. "Me, the Titans, the ex-Titans, your mom and this Matty character, we can gather Titans from around the world, Jake. I'd do anything to help."

Taku came back into the room with his guitar slung over his shoulder, resting on his shoulder blade. He looked awfully like Jake in that single moment, with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his hair falling into his face.

He took a seat, sliding it around to his front. He propped it on his lap and began to play the song that he had been playing on the air guitar. The same song started in the background while Jake was speaking.

"Clara?"

"Jake, what are you doing?" Clara asked, watching Taku in front of her.

He was so into his playing, his fingers moving gracefully, his mouth curved into a frown as he worked out the kinks in the song.

"I'm playing my guitar right now," he responded. "Coheed and Cambria, ever heard of them? Time Consumer. Such a great song."

"Yea, that's odd. Taku's playing the very same song right now," Clara commented.

"That is odd," Jake commented, but he didn't seem very sincere.

He was most likely into his playing right now, the same frown on his face, his fingers moving like ten little hummingbirds.

"Maria my star, Matthew goodnight," the two boys began to sing at the same time, on the same note.

"Now that's just freaky," Clara breathed into the phone. "Jake, turn on direct connection."

Clara pulled the phone away from her own ear and turned on the direct connection, a new standard feature of cell phones that would allow for the speakers to watch each other while talking. Clara soon saw on her small cellular screen the exact mirror image of Taku. The movements were fluid, the strumming was even, and their harmonies were one.

The music stopped at once. Both guitars had ceased to hum.

"That's just creepy," Jake's deep voice hummed over the speaker phone.

"Yea," Taku consented. "Creepy."

"So...Taku," Jake started. "Is that your real name? Did your parents really name you Taku?"

"No, my uncle always used to call me Taku, so it just became my unofficial name. My real name is Michael Turner," he explained.

"Turner...Turner...sounds familiar," Jake started. "Matty!" he called to somewhere off the screen of the phone. "Matty, where have you heard the name Turner before?"

There was a mumbling coming from off screen and slowly Jake's face fell open. His confused expression had dropped and he looked as if he were about to puke.

The line went dead.

**TT2**

Clara had tried to call him back many times, but he didn't pick up.

"Do you think he's ok?" Clara asked about two hours later, after her seventh call.

"I'm sure he's fine," Taku responded, although he was freaked out as well. "It's just weird. Did you see his face? He looked as if he had seen a ghost."

"That's what worries me."

"What worries you?" Sara asked as she trudged into the room with tons upon tons of shopping bags in her arms.

"Jake. Need I say more?" Clara asked, an eyebrow raised towards her sister.

"Ah. I see," Sara began. "Well, I'll be in my room if I'm needed. You know where to find me."

Clara continued to pace and eventually threw her cell phone to Taku. She ordered him not to let her touch it until the next morning, or at least until she had to make a call that wasn't to Jake. He happily obliged. Taku stood, dropping the device into his pocket and swinging the guitar around his shoulder.

"Don't worry about Jake."

"Not making any promises."

He sighed. Women and their men.

**TT2**

"Jenna?" Vic started as he heard the front door open and shut with a little click.

He was in bed, watching television and snuggled under the covers, ready to fall asleep. He didn't expect to see her this soon, but then again he did request to see her by the end of the night. Her clicking heels echoed down the hallway and she pried to door open, kicking off her shoes.

"Hey there," she started softly, sauntering forward.

She climbed onto the bed and sat next to him. Her back rested against the headboard, and she crossed her feet in front of her. Her hand came to rest on his head, where little tufts of hair were growing. Her fingers combed softly over them.

"I didn't expect to see you tonight," Vic started.

"I could say the same," Jenna replied. "I had to go see Matty and make sure Jake was ok. He seemed a little shaken up, a little out of sorts today, but I'm sure it's just because Clara told him about the impostor Baron at the laboratory that I told you about."

Vic made an interested noise, never taking his eyes off the television.

"Are you mad at me?"

His eyes finally traveled up to lock with hers.

"I could never be mad at you...well, I could, but only under extenuating circumstances," he added on. "Jenna, I recognize that this is something you have to do. I respect that. I just want you to get help and take them down. I want to help you take them down. Promise me, one day, that will happen."

"It will, and I can thoroughly promise that," she responded. "And someday soon too. I just have a lot going on right now, and I want to make sure Jake's safe before I do that. I don't want him anywhere near here. I don't want him getting hurt. I wouldn't be able to handle that."

"I know, Jen," Vic replied softly. "I understand that too. I wouldn't want anything to happen to Jake either. He's a good kid."

"I know he is. He's just made a few mistakes, and his mom has made her share of mistakes too," she murmured, turning to Vic and snuggled into his shoulder. "I'm tired. It's been a hell of a day."

"Indeed it has," Vic agreed. "Goodnight Jen."

"Sweet dreams, Vic."

**TT2**

"Kyle, you are such a freaking work-a-holic," Sara commented as she hit the landing of the rooftop. "I mean I'm surprised you even bothered to take a break Mr. Working Twenty-two-hours-a-day."

"Sara," he began in a warning tone. "What did I say about me and my working habits?"

"That they're your business and your business alone," she replied monotonously. "But seriously, you're not fun. You've been holed up in the crime lab for the past few days, trying to crack the code to that case. What's wrong with taking a break?"

"Nothing. I just don't like taking a break. I like working until I have something figured out," he replied simply.

"Figures," Sara muttered, rolling her eyes.

They watched the sunset in silence for a few moments.

"How's Clara doing? She seems to miss Jake a lot. Any sign of him?" Kyle asked.

"Not that I know of. But she'll be fine, she's tough. She can get over not seeing him until Saturday," Sara told him.

"What's Saturday?"

"He promised her that he'd go to the Masquerade Ball with her. And I know that this boy wouldn't go back on a promise. I've kinda been reading her mind lately, so I know pretty much everything she knows about him. He's so incredibly honest, it makes me want to puke. Well, you know, except for the whole villain thing," Sara explained.

"Riight."

Kyle leaned back and covered her hand with his.

"You know, I can't wait until the Masquerade Ball. Sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it?" he asked nonchalantly, although he was secretly hoping to bring up the topic of their "date". "I mean, if you've never been to a Masquerade Ball before."

"Yea, it does sound like a lot of fun," Sara agreed. "I can't wait to get all dressed up. I haven't gotten dressed up in a while."

"I can't wait to see your dress. Kimi said it was...drop dead sexy, I think were her words," he chortled. "Ah, Kimi cracks me up."

"Well, if I do say so myself, my dress is pretty hot."

"I guess I'm going to be making boys jealous, you know, since I am your date and all," he supposed with a grin. "Think of all those boys who are going to be wishing to be in my place on Saturday."

"And just think of all the women who are going to be paying me to be in my place. In case you haven't noticed, half the female population of Jump City wants to do you," Sara stated with a little chuckle.

Kyle choked on air. "Well that was just a tad straightforward."

"Hm?" she asked.

"So are you part of that half?"

"No," she deadpanned.

"Oh."

Sara smiled as she watched him awkwardly turn away. She could tell he was turning away as the silence grew louder between them.

"Kyle, you're so cute," she commented. "I don't know. I might be part of that half. But other times I just want to ring your neck. So half the time I'm a screaming fan-girl and other times I'm more dangerous to you than Black Baron or Slade."

He chortled as he answered, "that's a good way to put it".

Sara yawned profusely. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you bright and early at training."

"Seeya, Sare."

"Later Kyle."

And for that one moment, the world was at peace.

**TT2**


	45. Star Not So Bright

**A/N**: So...yea, you're all going to hate me. I'm sorry, but it had to be done. Next chapter will hopefully be up soon, and if any of you are Harry Potter (DracoGinny) fans, I have a new story coming out soon. Keep an eye out for it!

**Disclaimer**: Pfft. I wish it was mine.

**TT2**

**Friday October 30, 2019 (early morning)**

Richard fell asleep by Kori's bed side for the umpteenth time in a month. It was hard to believe that much time had passed, but he had been without her for almost two months now. He was beginning to lose faith, and he knew it wasn't for the best if he did.

He was surrounded by white clouds, or white smoke, or something of the like. Everything was hazy. He felt dizzy as he stood from the lone chair within sight. All he saw was white for what seemed liked miles.

And then something dropped from the middle of nowhere and landed on their rear. It was Kori.

"Kori!" He called, but she did not seem to notice him.

"I am sorry, Richard," she began softly, and then began to cry with her face in her hands.

Another figure appeared, a person dressed in all white with an inhuman appearance. This person seemed to glow with absolute energy, but she also seemed very simplistic. Her white sundress complimented her pale skin and fair hair, but hung loosely as if she was nothing underneath.

"Kori, are you sure you're doing the right thing?" this girl asked. She couldn't be any older than Kimi.

"No, but I am never sure. I am naive, and that is one of my many flaws."

"Kori, no you're not!" Richard protested, but she seemed not to hear him. "Kori, come back to me!"

"Kori, do you understand the effects this will have on everyone around you? You understand repercussions?" the girl asked.

"I do, and I still want to do this. Everyone deserves it. They deserve to be happy, and if I do this they will be happy, or so it is said," Kori responded.

"Give me your hand," the girl requested.

Kori laid in her palm in the girl's hand, and their bodies began to glow. Richard finally understood what he was saying.

"KORI, NO!" he shouted, but it was useless. "Kori, don't do this to me! Kori, I love you!" he shouted desperately.

He jolted forward and tried to snatch her, but he snatched air. He was falling towards the ground and braced for impact, but none came. He opened his eyes and realized he was falling through space, through darkness, past stars and planets and moons. Kimi's face stared back at him from all the moons and Kori's face stared from the stars, and they watched him fall. Neither made any move to stop him.

"There's nothing we can do. Nothing..." Kimi started, but her voice sounded different.

Richard jerked awake to see doctors standing above Kori, and that he was now in an armchair in the corner. They were talking in hushed tones, something that is never a good sign no matter what hospital you are in.

"There's nothing we can do. She's gone," one of them began.

"What?!" Richard exclaimed.

His tired eyes were now alert as he looked at the circle of doctors standing above his fiancee. He jumped up from the armchair and pushed through them to see indeed Kori was now sickly pale, and not breathing. He looked at the clock, which read 5:03 a.m.

"When did this happen?" he demanded. "Why can't you save her?" he snarled. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HELP HER?" he screamed, looking at her laying there, motionless. "HELP HER!!"

"Mr. Grayson," one doctor started calmly. "We need you to know we did all we could. We did everything in our power to keep your wife alive."

One doctor was pulling a sheet over her head as the other spoke.

"NO, you obviously didn't or she'd be alive right now!" Richard yelled. "You can save her! Do something, anything!"

Richard stomped to her bedside, ripped back the sheet, and felt her face.

"She's still warm! There's got to be something you can do! CPR, AED, some sort of _fucking _transplant, I DON'T CARE! SAVE HER!"

"Mr. Grayson..." one doctor started. "We're going to need to give you tranquilizers to calm you down. When you wake up, I request you do not go searching for you wife. She will be in the morgue."

"No...NO!" he protested, but felt the needle inject into his arm. "Oh God NO! Let me help her! Call my...daughter! She'll know...what...to...do!" he heard his speech slurring and felt his body shutting down. "Call...Moonfire! Don't...take...Kor...i...away..."

He trailed off as his body finally shut down on him, and he collapsed to the floor. The last thing he heard was the murmuring of the cynical doctors who had taken his Kori away from him.

**TT2**

Richard woke up several hours later. It was light out, and judging by the sun maybe about eleven in the afternoon. He jumped out of the bed he was in and ran out into the hallway. He recognized his location as just a few doors down from Kori's room, or, more to the point, her old room. Richard ran down the hallway and into Kori's room, where Kimi was crying by her bed side. Danny was standing next to her, patting her back, while Vic was letting Raven cry into his shoulder on the other side of her bed. Her pale face was exposed, only so they could take their last looks at their beloved, mother, wife, friend, and Titan.

"Dad," Kimi moaned.

She looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy and her cheeks swollen. She looked as if she had been crying since the time she arrived here, which Richard supposed was shortly after he had been tranquilized.

"Kimi," he breathed and let her run into his arms, crying into his body. "It's not fair. I know, I know, it's not fair," he told her, tears beginning to well in his own eyes. Danny was standing only a few feet away, tears in his gray eyes and streaming down his tanned cheeks, his arms crossed tight about his chest.

The seriousness of the situation just began to hit Richard full force. He would never wake up next to Kori ever again. No more quaint breakfasts with his fiancee. No more walking outside his office and seeing her shining face. So many firsts would be missed out on, and so many things they would never do again.

"Kori, I love you," he whispered looking towards the sky.

"You'll always be loved, mom," Kimi cried into her father's shirt.

"Kori, you'll always have us. In life or in death," Raven added. "Be Skylar's guardian." Her hand traveled to her swollen stomach.

Richard handed Kimi off to Danny so he could take a seat next to Kori. He smoothed back her hair and watched the gentle curves of her pale, lifeless face. He still couldn't believe that she was really gone. This would be the last time he would see her face. She would be taken away after their few last moments with her.

"Dad, she knows we love her. She knows she's loved. But she still didn't come back. What went wrong?" Kimi asked.

"I don't know, Kimi," he responded, still watching her porcelain face. "I don't understand what went wrong. What we did wrong."

"We didn't do anything wrong, Dad," Kimi assured him, although she wasn't so sure herself.

"I wish I could believe you, Kim."

**TT2**

Richard stayed with her well into the day and into the night, until the doctors came to take her to the morgue. He sat there, talking to her, knowing she could hear him from a bigger place. He talked about anything and everything. He talked about random things like cheese and candles, and more relevant things like all the things she would miss out on. But he assured her that he knew she was watching him from a better place.

"Don't forget I love you," he would repeat consistently. "Don't ever ever forget that."

Richard was still watching her as the doctors came in. He didn't listen as they talked, but merely continued to watch his one and only love. He memorized every curve of her face so he would never forget her. He would never forget any part of her.

"Say your last goodbyes, Mr. Grayson," one of the doctors requested.

They all left, saying they would be back in two minutes. Richard sat up and leaned over, setting a soft kiss on her warm lips. Wait, warm?

"DOCTOR CARSON!!" Richard screamed, feeling her cheeks. "Doctor Carson!!"

Said doctor came rushing into the room with his medical posse in tow. Richard kept feeling her warm cheeks, which were somewhat beginning to turn pink. Could she possibly be alive? Could she have come back from the dead?

"What is it Mr. Grayson?"

"She's warm! And she's regaining color! Look, look! It's a miracle!" he yelled, stepping aside to let the doctors take a look at her.

The doctor put his ear to her mouth and his fingers to her wrist. "It's amazing! She has a heartbeat!" He put his head to her chest, watching the gentle rhythm of her breathing restart. "She's breathing! It's a medical marv-" but the doctor stopped short, his hand still feeling her wrist. "Oh dear God."

He snapped up and searched around frantically. He reached under the hospital bed and pulled out an AED.

"Her pulse stopped. Her heartbeat has stopped as well."

Richard couldn't look as they hooked her up to the AED machine and tried to shock her heart back to life again. "Dear Lord Kori," he mumbled to himself. "Please live. Kori, I love you so much...please live."

They were shocking her for at least a few minutes when Richard turned around. They had hooked her up to a heart rate monitor which was at a steady "beeep". He prayed for the short "beep, beep, beep" to start any second now. They gave her another shock.

His prayers had come true.

"Beep, beep, beep," filled the air and the doctors rejoiced.

Richard pushed his way through them to see his wife breathing, color rising to her cheeks, her limbs twitching every so often. He whispered her name so gently that not even the doctors heard it, but somehow she did. Her eyes blinked open and she examined her surroundings.

"Richard?" she asked in her normal sugar sweet voice. "Oh, Richard."

He reached forward and engulfed her in a hug, kissing her hair and neck. "Kori, I can't believe it's really you. Finally, it's really you. Oh God Kori you don't know how much you put me through but I'm just so glad you're back!"

"Richard?" she asked softly, her voice raspy from lack of use.

"Yea Star?" he returned, pulling back to look her in the eye.

"Can we go home now?" she hoped naively.

He smiled. "Of course."

**TT2**

It was only after a few tests the doctors performed that they could go home, but Richard and Kori were both content with that. The drive home was quiet, the both of them trying to soak in how much this single moment meant to them. Richard moved his hand to cover hers, and out of the corner of his eye he could see her smiling at him.

"I love you, Kori."

"And I love you, Richard."

His cell phone rang and he picked it up out of the center console. He kept his eyes on the road which meant he didn't have time to look at the caller ID before opening it up and placing it on his ear.

"Hello?"

"Dad?!" Kimi's excited voice came over the phone. "Is it true? I just got your voicemail," she had worn her voice out wailing and now was speaking in rasps. "Did her heart really start up again? Is she alive?"

"It's true, Kimi. I'm taking her home right now. I'm expecting you to be there when we get there," Richard told his daughter with a smile on his face. "She's excited to see you."

"May I talk to her?" Kori requested.

"Of course, Kor. Your mom wants to talk to you. I love you, Kimi," he ended before handing the phone off.

"I love you too, dad."

Kori took the phone and pressed it to her ear. "Kimi?" she asked. "Kimi, are you there?"

"I'm here mom," Kimi responded, sniffling slightly. "Oh mom I thought you were gone."

"Kimi I am very sorry. I did not mean to put you through that. But I am back now and I promise I am not going anywhere for a very long time," Kori told her. "I cannot wait to see you soon. I missed you, my little moon."

Kimi had always been embarrassed by that name, but at the moment she didn't care. "Mom, I love you. I'll see you soon."

"I will see you soon."

The line went dead as Kori was shutting it. She set it back in the center console and returned her hand to its rightful place beneath Richard's. He slowly intertwined his fingers with hers and gently stroked the side of her hand with his thumb. They came to a stop sign just before their house, in the nice upper district of Jump City. It had always been a dream of Kori's to live here, and Richard had fulfilled that dream for her.

"Home sweet home," Richard started as he pulled into the driveway and let the car's engine die.

Both Vic and Raven's cars were there. Raven had still been staying at their house while Richard had been at the hospital, but some nights she would go back to the apartment and sleep, maybe hang around for a while in the morning before coming back.

"They're all here just to see you, Kor," Richard informed her.

"It feels good to be loved," she responded.

Richard got out of his side of the car and jogged around to open the door for Kori. She smiled gently up at him, before stepping out and into the cool October air. Richard let her door shut with a soft click, taking her hand in his. They slowly walked towards the front door, both expecting to be greeted by a love parade when they entered the entry hall.

And their expectations were correct.

"KORI!" Raven squealed like a little girl (which is an amazing feat for her) then jumping on her in a hug. "OH KORI!! I thought you were dead. You don't know how happy I am to see you again!"

Raven stepped away and looked at her best friend. Victor pushed her aside (gently, though) to engulf Kori in one of his bone-crushing hugs. Her hug back, though, was just as strong and possibly damaged his machinery.

"Kori! Girl, I knew you were tough, but I didn't think you were tough enough to come back from the dead," he joked, pulling back to look at her. "It's like some sort of miracle."

Vic kissed her forehead.

"Kori, it's good to know you're ok," Jenna started from behind Vic. He stepped aside to let her talk to Kori. "I know we've never really been that great of friends, but I have to admit it'd be depressing if you were..." Jenna let out a shaky smile. "It'd be hard to let you go."

Kori stepped forward and engulfed Jenna in a hug. "That is great to hear, new good friend of mine. Any friend of Victor is a friend of mine."

Kori stepped back to smile at her. Jenna smiled in return. There was a faint pop in the middle of the hallway and Kimi appeared, looking somewhat dazed. Then she realized where she was and who was merely ten feet away from her.

"MOMMY!" Kimi screeched and launched herself at her.

Kori hugged her so hard that her daughter was lifted off the ground Kimi buried her head in her neck and began to cry tears of joy.

"Little bungorf, it is so good to see you," Kori cried in delight.

"Mom, you don't know how worried I was," Kimi told her. "I thought nothing would ever be the same. I thought it would all just end for me right there. I couldn't imagine living life without you there with me."

"Kimiand'r, I love you," her mother spoke softly, relinquishing her daughter.

"I love you, too, mom."

They shared a gaze for a few moments, just smiling at each other.

"I don't know what I'd do without you and Richard," Kori murmured softly. "And all my friends," she directed this towards Raven, Jenna, and Victor.

"Aww," Vic started. "Group hug, y'all!"

And so, they commenced in a group hug which none of them would ever forget.

**TT2**


	46. Mysterious Men and Darling Dances

**A/N**: Yea, long time, blah blah, no reviews, blah, all that fun stuff. School's been a beast but WE'RE OUT FOR THE SUMMER!!! So expect frequent updates if I'm not out enjoying my brand new DRIVER'S LICENSE! yeshh.

**Disclaimer**: Pfft, as if. Keep dreaming. Heck no I don't own it.

**TT2**

**Saturday October 31, 2019**

"EEK!" Sara shouted when she entered the living room late that afternoon. "I'm so excited for the Ball!"

"Me too!" Kimi announced as she came in right behind Sara. "And my mom and my dad are going to be there too!!"

"How's your mom doing?" Kyle asked from the couch. "Did she get all settled in yesterday?"

"She's doing fine, thanks for asking," Kimi responded, taking a seat next to him. "I'm so glad she's back. You have no idea. I've been purely ecstatic all day."

"I would be too, Kim. Not that much of a surprise," Kyle responded.

"I know, but..." she trailed off. "I'm just really happy. Especially after I heard the story. I told y'all right?"

"I didn't hear the story!" Sara exclaimed. "Tell me-e!"

"My mom didn't really die yesterday for those few hours we thought she did. Her body had to completely shut down to repair itself and start back up. I knew about these types of comas but didn't know what happened when you woke up, so I had no clue this was what happened. I wish I did so I could've saved us all a lot of unnecessary heartbreak."

Sara's mouth dropped open.

"That's weird," she started thoughtfully. "Could that happen to you, too?"

"I'm only half-Tamaranian, so if I went into that type of coma I'd probably live, and I wouldn't be out for so long."

Sara nodded before taking a seat next to Danny, who was sitting next to Kimi. She began talking to Danny about God knows what while Kimi continued to talk to Kyle. The conversation eventually shifted from her mother to the Ball tonight. Kimi expressed even more excitement for the Ball going on tonight, and turned to Danny to confirm their plans to go together.

"It's gonna be great," Danny told her, leaning over to give her a sweet kiss. "I promise."

Kimi smiled. "Of course it will be."

They continued to talk and watch television for a while. Clara entered the room and took a seat next to her sister, and soon Taku came in as well. The entire team was engaged in conversation, excited for tonight. The girls, mainly, were talking about their dresses while the guys were talking about their dates (or lack thereof in Taku's case). Kyle offered to hook him up with someone, but Taku declined. He assured them he would be fine (and dateless he added in an undertone).

Five rolled around and the girls politely excused themselves to go and get ready. The Titans had decided they would make their grand entrance at six. The girls all walked in a line towards the girls' bathroom in their wing of the bedroom level.

"This is going to be so much fun." Sara bubbled with excitement.

"You said it, sister," Clara retorted.

"I can't wait. I love getting all dolled up!" Kimi exclaimed. "And being with Danny is going to make it even better."

The girls all lost themselves in thoughts of how tonight was going to go; the perfect night would consist of many things, but the staple would be their amazing dates.

"I kind of feel bad for Taku. He doesn't have anyone to go with," Sara commented sadly.

"Yea, poor guy. I think we should all have a dance with him, at least once during the night. He deserves it," Kimi suggested.

"He does. Sounds like a plan," Clara agreed.

They all went to their separate rooms to grab what they would need. Each girl picked up their dresses, shoes, masks, makeup, hair products, et cetera, to beautify themselves. They all met in the bathroom and laid their things on the counter, looking at each other.

"Have you guys already showered?" Sara asked. "I read in a magazine that it's better to shower the morning of to give your hair time to settle, so I showered this morning."

"Same here," Kimi and Clara replied.

"Ok, then let's get dressed and start on our hair."

Each girl turned their backs towards the other two and began to slip on their dress. Sara smoothed down the fabric of her dress and made sure it was tied just right. Her hands reached around and felt the bare skin of her back. She hoped to God that there was no sort of blemish on her back. Kimi pulled up her own dress and gave a little shimmy while doing so. She turned to see that Clara was now tying the straps of her own dress and adjusting the fabric like Sara.

"God, we look ten times hotter than when we first tried them on," Sara commented slyly. "Am I the only one that thinks the boys won't be able to handle us?"

The other girls merely laughed at Sara's cockiness.

"Shoes now or later?" Kimi asked, holding up her midnight blue shoes.

"Later," Sara decided. "Give our feet time to rest before we submit them to that torture."

Kimi let out a little chuckle and tossed her shoes onto a pile containing numerous other belongings of hers. They mutually decided to do their hair first and each took a spot at the counter than ran the length of the bathroom. They each tried to decide on different hairstyles, but it was hard deciding what they'd look good in without seeing it.

"I think you'd look good with curls Sara," Kimi suggested.

"Yea," Clara added on. "You look good with curls."

"Ok then," Sara decided. "Now you two..." she trailed off, looking at her newly blonde sister and her best friend. "Kimi, you'd look good with your hair up. You know, to show off your shoulders and everything."

"Sounds good," Kimi started. "I'll get working on that."

"And Clara..." Sara trailed off yet again, thinking. "I think you'd look good with straight hair, but at a side-part. And with your bangs just slightly falling into your face. That would accentuate the sultry-ness of your dress even more."

"Well aren't we the fashion and hair expert."

"Uh, duh!"

Clara smiled at her sister. She would never get tired of being a twin.

Each of them set off to do their hair, taking the time to do it themselves instead of using magic, which would make it fall out in only a couple of hours. Sara burned herself a couple of times with her curling iron, but besides that things went smoothly. Kimi let a few tendrils fall into her face and kept her bangs down, side-swept over her forehead. Sara puffed her hair a few times and smiled happily at her reflection. Clara had to run her fingers through her hair a few time before it settled into a position that she liked.

Sara chanced a look at the clock. It was only five twenty-five, so they had about twenty more minutes.

"Are you ready yet?" Came a call from outside the door, the voice most likely being Kyle's.

"We're not men! We can't throw something on and call ourselves decent!" Sara retorted.

There was silence beyond the door.

They each started to do their make-up, chatting quietly about nothing really. They each took only a small amount of make-up, mostly on the eyes to enhance them. None of them really liked make-up because believe it or not they believed they did not need products to feel good about themselves. The only good thing about the eye make-up was that it matched their dresses and/or masks.

"Masking time?" Sara asked the others.

They agreed wholeheartedly. Each girl slipped her mask over her face and pulled out her hair to hide the ribbon that tied it.

"Sara, you were right. We do look good," Kimi told her.

Sara chuckled. "I told you."

They each strapped on their shoes and slowly stood from their seats at the vanity-like counter. Because of her shoes, Kimi was now taller than Sara, but Clara and Sara had been equal height before and now Clara was taller.

"I feel short," Sara deadpanned, but then let out a little chuckle. "I guess I am when you think about it."

Sara, Clara, and Kimi stuffed a few necessities into their clutch bags and gave their hair one last puff.

"This is going to be interesting," Clara stated. "I can tell something's gonna go wrong tonight."

"Clara, you're such a downer," Sara told her counterpart. "Everything's gonna go swell tonight."

"I calls 'em as I sees 'em."

They all began to walk out of the bathroom. Sara pulled out her communicator and spoke softly into it.

"Where are you guys?" she asked, connected to Kyle's communicator.

"We're up in the living room, waiting for you girls. It's five forty-five and I think we're expected to do major mingling with the elite of Jump City tonight," Kyle told her.

"Yea, yea, keep your pants on," Sara muttered.

"But Sara wouldn't mind if you didn't!" Kimi yelled in the background.

"Kimi!" Sara exclaimed, horrified. "Bye Kyle, I have some business to deal with."

As he was clicking the end transmission button, he could hear Sara yelling Kimi's name, and Kimi yelling that she was just kidding. It wasn't long before he heard it again, coming from just down the hallway. Clicking heels got closer and closer and they both entered the living room, out of breath.

"That's quite the way to make an entrance," Danny started with a chortle.

Clara followed in shortly behind them and pushed her way through them, wiping her hair away from her face.

"Sorry about them," she started, jabbing her thumb towards the girls on either side of her. "They're a little excited tonight. I thought I told you never to give Sara sugar after five."

"I-uh-yea, I heard that oh my Lord you girls certainly went all out," he stated, not even bothering to pause between "that" and "oh my lord".

"Oh, uh, we did," Sara replied awkwardly, but then with a smile. "You like it?"

Sara did a little twirl, settling back in stance to smile at her date.

"Yea, you look very pretty," Kyle told her, his cheeks turning pink.

"And Kimi, you looked beautiful as well," Danny told her. "You girls all look great."

Kimi joined her beau by his side, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She knew she loved him for a reason.

"Where's Taku?" Clara asked, suddenly realizing he was not there.

"He needed to take a shower so he said instead of holding us up he'll meet us there," Kyle told the girls. "I didn't bother to protest that we'd wait for him, so he said he'll just be taking his own car."

"Sounds good," the girls replied.

"So shall we be on our way?" Kyle suggested, hooking arms with Sara.

Sara smiled brightly and looked at the girls around her. Kimi had intertwined hands with Danny, and Clara was standing there rather awkwardly. Sara gave her sister a little wink, who just grinned in return. They both felt that something was going to happen tonight, good or bad.

They all made their way down to the garage, where they clamored into Kyle's car. Kimi had to squeeze in the middle between Danny and Clara, while Sara got to ride up front. Apparently, calling "shot-gun" was still completely valid.

The ride was quick, only about fifteen minutes in which they talked and laughed, never once remembering that they were Titans with duties to the city. They talked about things that affected normal teenagers like themselves. They didn't talk about missions, crimes, or villains (except when Jake's name floated into the conversation) and just sat there, enjoying a single night of normalcy.

They pulled up to the curb and were greeted by flashes once they clamored out. Apparently only the city's elite were invited and it was a hot topic to cover in the news the next morning. Kyle handed his keys to the valet, making sure the man understood that if he did anything to this car he would pay. This young boy nervously shook his head and scrambled into the car. He took off at a whopping two miles per hour.

Kyle took Sara's arm again and they both smiled for photographers snapping pictures. They tried as hard as they could to move towards the inside where they would be free from the cameras. The last thing they needed was the public getting the wrong idea about them.

Danny tried to take Kimi's hand but she inconspicuously swatted it away. She did not want anyone to know Danny was a vulnerability for her. She turned and smiled remorsefully at him, and he understood immediately.

They entered the double doors at the front and were greeted by a ridiculously lavishly decorated entrance hall. They were directed into a ballroom off to the right, filled to the brim with people. They all stared in awe at the scene before them, before realizing they probably looked like idiots.

"I'm going to find Jake," Clara announced.

"I'm going to find my parents," Kimi told Sara and Kyle. "Danny, come with?"

Sara and Kyle were left alone.

"Want to dance?" Kyle asked.

"I'd love to," Sara replied.

Kyle took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor.

"Hey mom, hey dad," Kimi started as she stood between her parents, who were both sitting at their designated table. "How's life been treating you since I last saw you this morning?"

"Very good, thank you Kimi," her mother began with a grin.

"Same here," her father responded, reclining in his chair. "It's been going mighty swell. And I never use that word!"

Kimi chuckled at her dad's excitedness. He was as giddy as a little girl. Well, she couldn't blame him.

"So, Danny," Kori began, turning to look at him. Danny had been standing awkwardly next to Kimi, wondering when to interject into the conversation, and finally found his opportunity when Kori started to converse with him. "How have you been? How is your mother?" she asked.

They had already seen each other after she woke up, this morning, but briefly.

"I've been doing fine. My mother is good, she's been dying to see you since she hasn't seen you in at least two months. She asked how you were doing a while back and mentioned that she wanted to get together with you," Danny told her.

"That sounds delightful. I shall call your mother tomorrow," Kori replied, patting his hand. "Your mother is a good woman. Very nice."

"Yea, I love my mom. Wasn't going to let me become a Titan at first, but I suckered her I into it," he told her with a chuckle. "She could never say no to me."

Kimi turned to her beau and smiled softly at him.

"You don't mind if I take my man for a dance, do you?" Kimi asked her parents.

Her father smiled and shook his head, his arm winding around his beautiful fiancee's shoulders.

"I think we might join you. Would you like, Kori?"

"I would love to."

So both the couples took spots on the dance floor, getting ready for a night of fun and dance.

Clara sat with her legs crossed, looking at her cellular, huffing every few minutes. She had looked everywhere for Jake. He was no where to be found. She began to think he was not going to show, after twenty minutes of watching her friends dance happily. Clara dumped her cell phone back into her purse after setting it to vibrate and settled to go and find Taku. Maybe she could have some fun with him instead.

"Ahem."

Clara looked up into beautiful green eyes, hidden by a black and silver mask. She looked him over to see he had indeed worn a black and silver ensemble, that made him look quite regal. She smiled contagiously as her eyes took in the mysterious features of his face hidden behind the mask that covered half his face.

"Hey, love," she greeted, standing up.

Clara took his outstretched hand and pulled him towards her body. Their lips met gently.

"Quite a greeting," he commented.

"Would you like to dance?" she asked him.

"I would love to, Miss Clara."

He led her out onto the dance floor with a grace she never knew he possessed. One hand interlaced with hers and his other arm went around her waist. Clara put her free hand around his shoulder. They began to sway to the gentle rhythm. Clara could see Sara dancing nearby with Kyle, who was in blacks and blues. His mask was his usual uniform mask.

"I thought you wouldn't show," she told him truthfully.

"I'd be a jerk if I didn't."

"You would, but I won't let you feel that way."

Clara, who had put her bag down at the table, would never notice it vibrate, and would never know that Jake would be calling to say how sorry he was that he couldn't make it.

**TT2**

**Sunday November 1, 2019**

They all had a great night. Somehow, Clara hadn't spoke to any of her teammates all night. She didn't even see Danny after the ride there. She fell asleep on the car ride home with only Sara and Kyle in the car with her. Kimi and Danny had gone home with Taku, who Clara hadn't seen all night either.

Or so she thought.

Kyle carried her up to the bed when they got home and realized she was asleep. She slept peacefully the entire night, her head filled with dreams of men in black and silver suits with sweet kisses and darling dances. She dreamt of a boy that she had never thought she would ever dream about, because in all reality, she never thought she would share a night like that with him.

She was awoken by her cell phone. It had been on vibrate all night last night, so she began to vaguely wonder why it was ringing. Stupid phone. She needed to trade up soon.

She dug inside her purse which had been placed on her bedside table. She procured her cell phone and groggily pressed it up to her ear (after missing once; hey, she wasn't used to be awoken by strange callers at ten in the morning, after partying all night).

"Hello?"

"Clare, babe, hey," came Jake's voice.

"Hey Jake," she began sweetly. "Last night was amazing. Thank you so much."

"Wait, what?" he asked, confused.

"Last night, at the Ball. It was the best night of my life."

"Clara, I wasn't at the ball last night. I called to apologize since you didn't pick up your phone last night. Clara, what happened?"

But Clara heard nothing after 'night'. She dropped the phone onto her bed and wondered vaguely who she could've been with last night. I mean, the man looked exactly like Jake! It had to have been him! Those same green eyes and that same brown hair.

Taku.

Clara screamed, jumping out of bed and forgetting her beau was on the phone. She sprinted towards the door and continued to scream to herself as she ran through the hallways. One thought was on her mind, and that was "I am going to kill Taku".

"TAKU!" Clara yelled as she came upon the living room.

All three boys were sitting there, playing a video game. Taku, though, was sitting out and simply watching.

"TAKU!" She yelled again.

"Clara, what's wrong?" he asked, coming around to couch and looking her up and down. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? What's up?"

The sound resounded throughout the room. Both boys watching gasped in horror as Clara's hand recoiled from his cheek. She felt slightly bad about it, but he's the one that played her into thinking he was Jake! What was wrong with the boy?

"What is wrong with you?" Clara seethed. "I thought you were Jake! Well, imagine my horror when he calls me this morning and tells me he's sorry that he couldn't make it. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! YOU LET ME THINK I WAS KISSING JAKE!"

Her angered expression turned into tears as she waited for a response.

"I'm sorry," he started in a small voice. "I don't know what came over me but...I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?! You're sorry?!?!" she exploded.

"Clara!" Sara began in an icy tone as she entered the living room with her hands on her hips. "What is going on here?"

She took in the sight of her counterpart poking Taku in the chest repeatedly, her other hand on her hip.

"Taku here gave me the best night of my life and then expects me to forget it and think I was with Jake and it's not FAIR!" Clara ended up screaming again.

"Wait, what?" Sara questioned.

Clara growled and stormed from the room, sending one last death glare towards Michael Turner.

"I am so screwed."

**TT2**


	47. Michael, Matthew, and Maria Once More

**A/N**: I've been so freaking excited about getting this chapter out because it's probably the second most pivotal chapter in the story. The next chapter is probably the turning point of the story, and after that, everything just gets INSANE in the MEMBRANE!! And only like one of my reviewers saw this coming. ONE! It's gonna be great. What am I doing holding you all up? GO READ IT!

**Disclaimer**: No, I do not own Teen Titans or any of its affiliates, jerk.

**TT2**

**Sunday November 1, 2019**

Clara was locked up in her room for the rest of the day. Sara had gone to talk to her, and each time came out looking as if she had seen a ghost. "Taku," she had said one time. "You're dead, man." Then proceeded to tell Kimi. He decided to hole himself up in his room as well. Danny had gone on a few occasions to see him and then had gone to tell Kimi. Now everyone knew the full drama going on in the tower except for Kyle, who as always, felt left out again.

"He tricked me into thinking he was you!" Clara exclaimed over the phone.

"What?!" he asked, his phone open in hand as he appeared in Clara's room.

"Jake!" she squealed and jumped off her bed to attack him in a fierce embrace. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, babe," he breathed into her hair. "Now explain to me what happened."

Clara pulled away and looked seriously up at him.

"I thought he was you! And he knew it was me! I don't understand why he would do that to me if he knew I had you!" Clara complained. "Uh, he makes me so mad sometimes, I just want to-" she stopped and started pacing. "Jake!" she gasped. "I know this is kind-of off topic but I just remembered...a few days ago, when we were talking on the phone...what happened? The line just went dead and I tried calling you back, but-"

"Clara, there's something I need to tell you that you mustn't tell anyone," he started seriously, taking a spot on her bed. "And I mean it. Not even Taku can know."

"Taku, but how is he-?" she began, but was cut off.

"Just listen, ok?" He took a deep breath before beginning. "When I was two years old, I was taken from my family. My parents were two very powerful superheroes. I was an identical triplet, and me and my brother and sister were a threat to the HIVE. They needed to destroy us. But instead of destroying the greatest family of superheroes ever known, they decided to keep one as a souvenir."

"You?" Clara supposed.

He nodded grimly.

"My parents' names were Anna-Maria and Nicholas Turner," he told Clara, his eyes rising up to meet hers.

She gasped, a realization dawning upon her.

"But...no. You're not implying that-?"

"Yea, Clare. My real name is Matthew Turner. And I'm Taku's brother. The HIVE never planned upon any other human beings in that house living. Of course, they never planned for my brother to be resistant to fire, being a rubber man," Jake told her.

Clara nodded in confusion. "But Taku told us he gained his powers when he was fooling around at his uncle's laboratory."

"I know," Jake told me. "But that's just what he thinks. The truth is, the reason the chemical spill didn't kill him was because of his powers. I went online and did a little research when my mom wasn't watching. I'm almost positive Taku didn't know about our parents and therefore didn't realize he had powers like them. I've used Jenna to retrieve some of my memories, and I could only retrieve one pivotal memory of my aunt and uncle. They wanted nothing to do with my family. The thought we were a bunch of freaks. When they came across Taku, they decided to love and cherish him, and hopefully the powers would just go away if they never told him."

Clara looked to the floor, her eyebrows furrowed, still trying to make sense of all this.

"And Maria?"

"I still don't know," Jake started, taking Clara's hands. "I've been trying all I could to see if she really was alive too. If Taku could stay alive, anything's possible. But I promise Clara, I've done all I could to prove myself wrong. It's true; Taku really is my brother."

"No, that's not possible. That's...no, you're lying! You can't be Matthew!" Clara retorted, standing up from her seat on the bed.

"You think?" he asked, pulling up his shirt sleeve. "Michael, Maria, and I were all born with the same birthmark on our right shoulderblade." He turned to show off said mark. "Go to Taku and he'll have the same mark. I've seen it. I know it's there. He's my brother. Do you want a DNA test too?"

"It's just...so weird. How could that have happened. Of all the people, of everyone I know. Identical triplets?" Clara asked.

He nodded.

"But my hair's been dyed and I wear color contacts to make my green eyes look dark gray."

With that, he pulled out each of his contacts and stuffed them in his pocket, excusing that he had plenty more where they came from. He also said that he hadn't dyed in a while, so he would soon look identical to Taku (not that they didn't already look like twins).

"That's so scary," Clara breathed. "You're very well not going to tell me that you're Sean too?"

"No," he started with a chuckle. "I was looking at your photo album. That one was just a freak coincidence. But this one's the real deal."

"You need to tell Taku," Clara insisted. "He'll want to know."

"I know he'll want to know, but I can't tell him. I can't put all three of us in danger, Clare. I'm pushing it by just letting you know." The cell phone still in his hand rung incessantly and he eagerly flipped it open. "Hello?"

There was a silence in the room, except for the slight buzzing of the voice on the other end.

"Yea, I'll be there soon. Sorry, I needed some air. I'm in the park down the street, but I'll be coming home. Ok? Love ya, mom. Ok, bye."

His cell phone was deposited into his coat pocket. She realized he was not wearing his Black Baron uniform, but a pair of loose jeans and a black band tee-shirt, with a black coat.

"I have to get back to my-er-temporary home. I'll see you later Clare, and I hope things go back to normal."

He had been standing for a while and stood there for a few more seconds, with his hands stuffed in his pockets. Clara stepped forward and kissed him gently. Who knows when she would see him again? She wanted to make this last moment as memorable as possible (although learning he was Taku's twin was mighty memorable in itself...).

"Bye," she said in a quiet voice.

He disappeared within seconds. Clara kept her lips pursed as she sprinted towards her bedside desk and yanked the first drawer open. Inside was a concealed Q-tip and a small glass vial. She swabbed her tongue where she had deliberately tried to save some of the kiss.

"Yea, Jake," she started to herself. "I do need a DNA test to believe this."

**TT2**

Richard was up way before Kori that morning. He jogged his way downstairs and at the very end kicked his heels together. Today was the start of a new, beautiful, happy day. The sun was shining and birds were chirping. Kids were soaking up the last warm rays of sun before the cold November air set in. It was nearing twelve in the afternoon, but Richard and Kori had a good reason for sleeping late.

And since this is actually a T-Rated story, they can't explain why. We'll call it "taxes".

Richard started a grand brunch for three. Raven had stayed the night again, although she was getting better and better with sleeping at her own home. Just after he finished, two pairs of feet came padding down the stairs and through the entry. Two very sleepy faces appeared at the doorway.

"Morning sunshine," he greeted to one. "Sleep well, Rae-Rae?" he asked the other.

"Great, thanks," she responded, taking a seat at the table.

Kori walked over to where her fiancee was standing and placed a very tender kiss on his lips. Much too tired to show any grander affection, she took his hand and led him to the table. With light chatter and laughs adorning the air, they plowed through their brunch.

"Raven, you believe two Saturdays from yesterday is good time to have our wedding?" Kori asked jubilantly. "Keep it small instead of going large like planned. Close friends and family, maybe twenty total."

"I think it's a great idea," Raven told them, looking sadly at her own diamond engagement ring. She missed Gar so damn much.

Raven continued to stab at her bacon, until a sickness swept over her.

"Oh Lord," she mumbled. "I'm going to be sick!"

She only had time to make it to the sink before she began to throw up her breakfast. Richard and Kori both rushed over, Kori combing back her hair and Richard rubbing her back. If Garfield wasn't going to be here to help, they sure would be good enough.

"Thanks," she mumbled, turning on the hot water.

"No problem. Are you ok now?"

"Fine," she responded groggily.

"If you are not up to it, I can have Kimi go to pick up all the dresses with me," Kori insisted. "Really, I do not mind. You should not be out and about in such a condition."

"Really, Kor? I feel bad," she groaned.

"It is fine. You need your rest. Please, go to sleep and I will call up Kimi."

"Thanks Kor."

Raven looked up and her face was even paler than usual. Her hand was on her stomach, and Richard was still rubbing her back.

"Will you be ok alone? I have to go with Vic to pick up the tuxes," Richard told her. "But it can wait, I promise."

"It's just a little morning sickness," Raven informed them. "I'll be fine. Go ahead. Won't be long anyways. I'll just go lay down with my best friend, Mr. Trashcan."

"Who is this Mr. Trashcan? Does Garfield know of him?" Kori joked.

Raven rolled her eyes, but with a weak smile. Kori would never change, and that's just the way she liked it.

**TT2**

Sara kicked her foot in tune to the music blaring from Kyle's computer speakers. She was flipping idly through a Prom version of her favorite magazine, which was now a few months old. Kyle was sitting at his computer, his feet on his desk, checking his personal E-mail for word from his friends back in Gotham.

"Going to a dance any time soon?" he asked, never looking back to her.

"I was thinking of seeing if I could attend Jump City High homecoming. I know I don't go there anymore, but I'm basically like a veteran of that school. I'm sure they'd let me go," she reasoned. "If I do go, though, I'll need a hot date to make all the other girls jealous. You up to it?"

He smirked.

"Sounds good," he returned in a vague tone. "When is it?"

"Some time in October. It's early this year. I might not even go if we're really busy around the time it's held," she told him. "Just keep it as a little side-note."

There was no more noise except for a song Sara knew was by The Fray. Kyle let out a laugh a little while later and you could hear feverous typing as he responded to what he was laughing at. Sara 'ooh'ed as she spotted a dress she very much liked. It was gold and strapless with sparkling gold tulle. But she was afraid she'd look a little bit like a beach in it.

"Anything good?" he asked when he was done with his e-mail.

Kyle shut off his music and slid up next to Sara. She turned another page and found a silky purple dress with a large skirt that looked rather stunning.

"Not really. I like this dress, but I'd look like a plum," she commented sourly.

"A very blonde plum," he remarked innocently.

She shoved his lightly, but he played it off dramatically. With a roll he had fallen off the bed and was whining of a broken heart. Apparently Sara had just that much strength. At this thought, she rolled her eyes.

"You are such a baby. Get up."

Sara liked this. Being casual friends with Kyle. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she didn't want a relationship right now. She was clearly content with having someone to be intimate with, but in a different way; in a passionate and friendly way.

He got up and slid next to her again, regarding the dresses in the magazine just like a girl would.

"That one is fantastic," he said in a very "vogue" tone of voice. Sara didn't exactly appreciate it, but she couldn't stifle her giggles.

"It would make me look like a canary," she retorted, speaking of the dress's many feathers.

He flipped the page. "What bird would this one make you look like?" he asked.

"A Peacock," she replied without giving it any thought.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, rearing his head towards her.

"Yeah," she retorted.

Sara nodded to herself and looked away.

"You are such a loser."

I hate to say it, for how cliche it is, but this last line led to a fierce tickle fight.

**TT2**

Clara had fallen asleep somewhere whilst running away with her mind, the vial still in her hand. She woke up re-energized and ready to confront some skeletons with Taku. She still didn't really feel like facing him, but knew it was better to be the bigger person. With a great push she slid off her bed and rested her feet on the warm carpet. A few rays of sun were still sliding through the window.

Clara soon enough found herself at Taku's door, taking a deep breath, depositing the small glass container and another empty one into her pocket.

"Taku?" she asked, knocking fervently on his door.

"Clara?"

"Yea, it's me."

"What do you want?" he asked warily. "My face has taken enough today, I really don't want to stand here while you use me as your personal punching bag."

"No, nothing like that," she told him gently, feeling truly sorry for what she had said.

But still, he had tricked her...

"Can I come in please?"

The door slid open and Clara saw nothing at first. Then her eyes readjusted to the darkness. Incense was burning somewhere in the room and the only light came from a very tiny bedside lamp. He was laying on his side, under the covers, his eyes still very tired and melancholy.

"I'm sorry, Clare," he started. "I don't know what came over me, but I just couldn't help myself. It made me feel wanted for a little bit."

"It's ok, I understand," even though she really didn't.

Clara moved to sit next to his hip on the bed, looking down at his weary face. He smiled politely and scooted over to allow her room.

"That's all I really wanted to say. I didn't want some stupid fight to come between us. It's in the past now, and it'll never happen again," she urged him.

"Oh trust me, no it won't," he started. "I just...I don't get it. Out of all the guys in Jump City, why did it have to be our worst enemy?"

"You don't understand, Taku," she told him gently.

He sat up, shirtless, letting the covers slide off of him. "Then tell me, Clara. I want to know. I want to understand you."

"Trust me, in due time, you'll understand. He's just...he's not what he seems."

"Well, way to be cryptic," he congratulated drily.

Clara gave him a stern look and he apologized instantly.

"Can we just hug now and say sorry?" Clara asked quickly.

Taku smiled. "Sorry."

They met in an embrace. Clara peered unto his shoulder and found the same birthmark that Jake had been speaking of. It could have been a freak coincidence, she assumed, but her heart was racing nonetheless. With a bit of silent magic she shredded off the tips of his hair and let them fall into the free-floating vial. It corked itself and returned to her pocket.

"Can I go back to sleep now?"

Clara stood and flattened her ensemble. "Yea. Have fun with that."

With no more and no less she left the room, with a level of cryptic that only Clara Walters could produce.

**TT2**

Clara high-tailed it up to the crime lab to get these two pieces of DNA analyzed right away. With the technology available in the year 2019, it would be done sooner that she'd be able to snap. Actually, considering she can't snap, that's not really a great phrase, but you understand what I'm trying to convey.

The door flung open as if expecting her and she cantered inside. With a great amount of urgency she approached the large computer-like device that would help her compare the DNA. She dropped each vial into a separate slot and heard the computer buzz its familiar melody.

There was a ding! and the computer screen fizzled on. It showed pictures of two boys, who looked very much alike. On the left, you could tell, was Taku, because his face was much happier and child-like. On the right you could tell was Jake because he looked slightly disgruntled.

One was labeled Michael Turner. Another was labeled Matthew Turner. The one labeled Matthew Turner was also clearly labeled 'deceased'. Clara watched for a moment to see if any other connections to the DNA would pop up, but it appeared that Jake Jinks didn't even exist.

She typed fervently on the keyboard to find out if the DNA was indeed connected, although she already knew the inevitable from the previous information.

"DNA match confirmed," a monotone female voice confirmed. "Michael Bradley Turner and Matthew Joseph Turner, now deceased, are chromosomal relatives and confirmed by base pair matches in the nucleotides of DNA they are identical twins."

Clara fell back into the seat behind her, staring up at the pictures of the two boys she had come to know. She never thought it could be true, what Jake was trying to tell her. She just figured he was trying to alienate her from her friends or something of the like; maybe a plan of the HIVE. But machines don't lie, and this one sure was telling the truth.

**TT2**


	48. Makasa the Wolf Girl

**A/N**: you all probably thought i was dead. honestly, i thought i was too =/ JUST KIDDING. anyways IM BACK and BETTER THAN EVAHHH. i want to finish this story so bad. its always been my favorite. and for those of you who read FWB, expect an update soon on that, too. LOVE YOUUU333

**Disclaimer**: Teen Titans? pffft. so not mine.

**TT2**

**Sunday November 2, 2019**

Clara couldn't quite seem to regain her breath. She sat, staring at the screen for a good thirty minutes before her thought process restarted. The face of Taku, bright and smiling, beamed down upon her. She just couldn't believe it.

Her boyfriend and her best friend (well, if Taku could be rightly classified as her best friend0 - _twin brothers_? Now this was just too crazy for her to believe. With all the crazy things that had happened to Clara, this was where she drew the line. This is where she flat out refused to believe.

She leaned forward, typing furiously into the keyboard. She made sure to erase the hard drive's memory so no one would know what had transpired in this room. She didn't think she could handle it if anyone found out, at least not right now. Hell, she could still barely process it. Imagine if anyone else found out that the two ends of the social pole were brothers. A villain and a superhero. Brothers. Now that's irony in itself.

But the reminder that Taku was a superhero only brought to mind one question - what is Jake's superpower? Does he even have one?

Then again, this brought another question to light - what was she to call him from now on? Is it still Jake, or would he rather be called Matthew?

Clara fell back into the seat, sighing. Then, in another instant, she was up out the door. She had no clue where to go from here. Contact with anybody would probably lead into her blurting out this secret she held. Of course, that meant the only person she could try was Jake. She didn't have to worry about being around him without blurting it out.

She dug her cell phone from the pocket of her sweatpants. With nimble fingers she typed in the number that had become so familiar to her.

"Jake?" she spoke quietly when his raspy voice answered. "I'm sorry, babe. Did I wake you up?"

"Yea, it's ok, though, I don't mind," he responded, and a bit of rustling could be heard in the background. "What's up, Clare?"

She paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "I believe you. I-I-" she didn't want to admit she needed to use technology to believe her own boyfriend. "I just really do believe you. It's just a bit shocking, you know? It's a lot to process."

"I understand completely. I wasn't going to bring it up, but you asked, and…well, honestly, I can't lie to you, babe. I thought you had a right to know what's going on."

Clara walked silently through the darkened halls, her phone pressed to her ear. She was barely watching the space in front of her, focusing on all Jake had to say.

"Thank you," she responded quietly. "Look, I know it's not exactly in the cards right now, but I'd like to see you soon. Whenever you get the chance. Everything that's going on, it's just…it's bothering me. I can't describe the weird feeling I'm getting from all of this."

"Me too, Clare. And the worst part is that I'm not in on the newest plan of the HIVE. They're planning two kidnappings, of who I'm not so sure, but since I'm supposedly deathly ill, I don't know anything. It's killing me not knowing. I told my mom that I'm going back tonight. I need to be in on things," he murmured.

"TWO kidnappings?" Clara questioned, entering the elevator to get to the private quarters' floor. "You don't even know who?"

"Nuh-uh. And the best guess I could make is they're both Teen Titans." He then sighed. Clara could imagine him running a hand over his tired face. "Just be careful, ok? I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Of course, Jake."

He went silent for a moment, before sighing. "You know what? Screw it. I'm staying with you tonight."

"Is that really the best idea, babe? Your mother is going to be angry, don't you think?"

"I could care less what she says. I don't want to leave you alone tonight. I know you're very capable of taking care of yourself, but you know how I tend to worry. I don't want to take chances. I want you to stay safe."

Clara had to admit, it was sweet. She didn't care that he was insinuating she couldn't take care of herself. She was ecstatic that he truly cared for her.

"I'll be there around eight tonight, in your room, ok? I have to take care of some things first and get over to the HIVE headquarters. Hopefully they'll give me at least a vague hint of what's going on," he sighed, then another silence followed. "I'll see you later, Clare. Be safe, ok?"

"I will. I…I'll see you later," she stuttered, walking into her room as the words left her lips. "Be careful."

"I always am."

And the line went dead.

Clara fell back onto her king-sized bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. She breathed in through her mouth and out through her nose, trying to make sense of it all.

But no matter how hard she tried, nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

**TT2**

"Jenna? Jenna?!" Vic called as he awoke early that next morning. He expected to find her laying next to him in bed, but where she should be is not where she was. "Jenna?" he called once more, hoping she had not already left.

"Vic, I'm in the kitchen."

Her footsteps got closer and closer, until her thin frame appeared in the doorway. She seemed distressed, her features sunken into her face.

"Hey there," she greeted in a mellow tone, her eyes betraying her jubilant façade.

"What's wrong?" Vic asked immediately, flinging the covers off his half-naked form. "Is everything ok?"

Jenna smiled sadly.

"How is it that no matter what face I put on, you always know what I'm really feeling?" she asked, her eyes darting up to his face.

"That's what a good boyfriend is supposed to do. Now spill," he ordered, resting his hand over hers on the doorframe.

She sighed. "The HIVE. They're…they've got a plan. It's finally all making sense to me. I think they know…everything. Which means they know something that I did not until very recently."

Vic cocked his head to one side, staring intently at her. He was confused, and afraid, to say the least.

"Jen, what's going on?" he asked slowly.

"Come. I made coffee," she told him, leading him towards the kitchen where the smell of fresh-brewed coffee was permeating the air. "Sit. We have a lot to discuss."

Vic sat, and within moments Jenna had placed a cup of coffee before him. She took her own and sat directly across from him, sighing as she sat.

"Begin," he asked more than stated.

Jenna's eyes darted each way. "Well, it all started in a small town named Ridgefield…"

**TT2**

Clara had desperately hoped to get an hour or so nap in, but that just wouldn't do. Instead, as soon as her head hit the pillow, the alarm began blaring incessantly. She sighed, then sprung up from her bed and began on a flight towards the common room.

Once there, she was shocked by what she saw on the screen before her.

It was live footage of four HIVE members (which could be easily discerned by the badges on their chests) fighting what looked to be a pack of wolves. Dear God, is this what they've lowered themselves to? Animal cruelty?

Kyle turned from watching the monitor to see Kimi, Danny, and Clara all standing in the doorway. Within moments Sara and Taku had joined them as well.

"What's going on?"

"A bunch of HIVE members uptown near the Mayor's Office, nearly destroying the place over a pack of wolves. However strange it may be, we still have to keep this city safe. Clara, outfits, please?"

She whispered a simple mantra and all of them were fully clothed in uniform.

"Titans, GO!"

They made it downtown in record time, thanks to Taku's maniacal driving. His high-speeds made it even faster than if they had flown. Now that's law-breaking at it's finest.

They came upon the wreckage sight; it was visible from a quarter of a mile away. A thin layer of smoke was surrounding the area, and the road was already showing a slight crack down the center as they neared the source of a loud crash they all experienced a moment prior. After fifteen seconds, another loud crash could be heard, and a small building on the right began to wobble dangerously.

They came upon a crazy sight; the four HIVE members taking arms against a pack of nine or so wolves. One was clearly the head of the pack, a large, black wolf with a fierce look in it's green eyes. There were several behind this leader, all varying shades of grey, brown, or red. There was even a small white one with ice-blue eyes.

The Titans clamored from the car, but Kyle was the first to act. He held out his arms to prevent them all from stepping forward into the fray.

"Hawk, what's going-?" Taku tried to ask, but he was interrupted by a rude hushing sound from Hawk's lips.

"Be quiet, everyone. Don't move."

Hawk was intently watching the scene before him, a standoff between the two fighting parties. Rubble and dust had settled, showing off the scene of carnage around them. It had not been a clean fight by any means. Buildings on either side were substantially destroyed, and the street was lined with cracks and potholes.

Sara grabbed Hawk's arm, her breath hitching in her throat.

"What's going on?" she whispered at a level most humans wouldn't hear.

"I'm not quite sure," he responded, his voice trailing off. "I'm waiting for them to make a move."

A loud growl could be heard in the deadly silence. A few onlookers were gathered on the sides of the streets, but most sane people had fled the area by now. No one moved. No one made a sound. No one dared.

The head of the pack, the large black wolf, scraped all fours against the pavement. It was this one who was growling, the Titans realized, as they saw its maw quiver dangerously.

"GET HER!" One of the HIVE members screamed, and all of a sudden, in a blur of black, they had made their move.

"Titans, ATTACK!" Hawk screamed. "Protect the wolves at all costs!"

Sara and Clara flew forward first, ready to take out the man who had given the order. Kimi was backing them up, ready to take on the three people behind them. Taku sprang forward to protect the wolves and move them out of the line of fire (hopefully they would be so willing). Danny went to one side of the street, ready to get the onlookers to safety. Kyle, tightening his gloves around his fingers, pulled out his bo-staff and wore a dangerous smirk.

"Time to kick some HIVE ass."

Three of the HIVE members went straight for the large black wolf at the front of the line. Sara, Kimi, and Kyle went hand to hand against them, while Clara easily took down the one hanging back. Kimi took charge of the man who seemed to be the leader, the one who announced the initial order. He was a good fighter, she had to give him that much, since he was throwing a few expert punches and roundhouses. Honestly, he was no match for her and her alien strength, since she managed to grab him by the torso and throw him with unimpeded strength into the pavement below. She heard a sickening crack and a few pained whimpers, and almost felt remorse. Almost.

Kyle and Sara soon made similar cases of their own sparring partners, having them each down on the ground and tied up within minutes. Kimi had to admit, they were really getting good at their jobs.

Taku stood in front of the pack of wolves. He could now clearly see that there were eleven; five gray, three brown, one red, one white, and one black. The leader was the biggest one, quite obviously a girl though you wouldn't know it by her size, and different, in a way. Her facial features and the way she held her body seemed so distinctly human; as if she didn't belong in this pack. Yet, she was their leader.

The female leader growled when first confronted by Taku, but then the growl promptly died in her throat. Her limbs froze on the pavement.

"It's ok. I'm here to help, girl," he murmured soothingly, hoping by some miracle she could understand him.

The wolf shook, then trotted forward and pressed her muzzle against Taku's stomach. He acknowledged this as a sign of acceptance.

She pulled back, her emerald eyes meeting his directly. Taku couldn't help but feel a sort of remorse for this wolf. He couldn't tell how or why, but he knew this wolf, and he knew what she'd been through. He was there for her.

"Come on. We need to get you and your pack out of here, before they can hurt you."

The wolf understood completely. As Taku began running in the opposite direction, the wolf barked at her pack, and began trotting after him. Every wolf followed.

Taku looked behind him to see the Titans were taking care of the situation rather well. He and the wolf ran side-by-side for a block and a half, until he came upon an empty alleyway in which they could hide. He led them in, towards a tall fence that made it into a dead-end.

"It would help if I could know what they want from you," Taku told the black wolf as they halted on the cement. "I mean, the HIVE fighting a pack of wolves isn't exactly normal in Jump City," he laughed feebly.

The wolf took a step back, away from Taku. He watched her, slightly intrigued, as she bowed her head and raised her two front paws.

Then, something astounding happened.

The wolf that had been a wolf a second and a half prior was now a human standing before him at an impressive height. He was stunned, to say the least, but not enough so he didn't notice the small details. Like this beautiful girl's shining onyx hair, or her shining emerald eyes. She had tanned skin and freckles over the bridge of her nose, and a very small, lanky body with small hands and slim shoulders. She looked like a very female version of someone, but he couldn't put a finger on who.

"Well hello," Taku started, his voice shaking slightly. "That was…well, that was something."

"I am sorry. Did I startle you?" her voice was light and airy, yet her English sounded as if she wasn't sure of what she was saying. "I am not meaning to. I merely wish to show you…me."

One of the wolves, a large reddish-brown one, came to her side and rubbed against her hip. She reached out a tanned hand and ran it over the wolf's fur.

"What… what are you?" Was the only question Taku could think of.

"I am a shape shifter. I live with wolves, as a wolf. I am one of them." Another wolf, a dark grey one, took her other side. "I am their leader. They treat me as so."

"Wow," Taku breathed, falling back against the brick wall surrounding the alleyway. "This is kind-of a lot to take in." He paused, thinking of other questions he could ask her. "Who are you? Do you have a name? And why was the HIVE after you?"

"I have many names. The wolves, they call me Makasa. It takes years to understand the language of wolves, but it roughly means 'human wolf'," she explained, then as a side note, "give me moment."

She turned to her pack of wolves, who was still standing there, vigilant. She began barking, then growled a bit, then gave a slow, soft howl. The wolves howled in return.

"What did you tell them?" Taku asked.

"I tell them to stand down," she responded. "Look."

Taku peered over her shoulder to see all the wolves fall to their paws and lay their heads in the arms. A few were cuddled together, and in doing so they looked very much like a family.

"You have very good control over them," Taku noted.

"I am leader."

"Do they know that you're not truly one of them? They understand that you're primarily human?" Taku continued to question, watching her reaction to see if he had pressed too far.

"I am wolf. I know the language, I know the customs, better than I know that of humans. I am wolf most of my life. I live in the wild, with family, roaming as true wolves do," she explained. "I know little of life before wolves. Brothers, screaming. Fire. Pain. Snow. " She sighed. "I have painful memories."

"I'm sorry," Taku spoke softly. "I know what it's like to have a life plagued by tragedy."

They sat sheathed in silence, until Taku finally remembered his previous question.

"Do you know why the HIVE was after you?"

"They know things of me. They know who I am. I am with family, and then they capture me. My pack break me out of scary room, and we fight. Now I am here. I do not know why," she explained sadly.

Taku realized that this girl must've spent a lot of time as a wolf; she kept confusing her present and past tense verbs. He'd be shocked if she even knew the past tense at all. This could make for a very confusing conversation. He'd have to introduce her to the wonderful word of verb tenses later.

"They say something of "brothers, get the brothers". But, you must understand, my brothers are dead. My brothers die long, long time ago," she continued, putting her lovely face into her small hands. "They cannot possibly get my brothers. It pains me. I has not seen brothers in a long time."

"Makasa, right?" Taku asked.

She looked up, her wide green eyes shining with tears. "Yes, yes. Makasa."

"Who are you, then?"

"I am nobody important," she lashed, a snarl tearing across her features. "My human side, it die with my brothers. I am only wolf. I am only wolf."

She fell to her knees, her sobs the only noise ripping through the silence in the alleyway. Taku fell to his knees next to her, an arm around her in an instant. She didn't shy away, as he thought she might. Instead, she welcomed the human contact. It had probably been a long time since she'd felt human compassion like this.

"Taku. Taku?" His communicator buzzed. "Where are you?"

He deftly pulled it out and responded with: "the alleyway on Swainson Street. You come to me. I have a situation."

"People…no…bad!" Makasa moaned between sobs. "I do not like people."

"We are here to help, Makasa. We are the Teen Titans. We are good people, unlike those who tried to capture you," Taku told her, lifting her to her feet. The wolves came sniffing around and being at eye level with them just gave him the creeps.

"There are good people?" she asked, like a child finding out she was about to get ice cream. "Not all people are evil and cruel?"

Taku smirked. "I could see why you would think that, with Jake Jinks running around, but no," he joked, though it was lost on her. "We're good people. I promise. We can take care of you and protect you."

"But, my family…" she trailed off, looking back to the pack of wolves who looked upon her with such admiration.

"Will they be ok without you, for at least a few days, so we can make sure you're safe?" Taku asked gently, hoping that would fly. He'd never had to deal with a shape-shifter before, and knew too well he could fuck up any second and say something wrong.

"I see. Give me moment."

Makasa, the beautiful young girl, morphed back into the fierce black wolf right before Taku's eyes. She approached her back and began talking in low growls, grunts, and barks. Danny, Hawk, Sara, Moonfire, and Clara came rushing around the bend, into the dark alleyway as she was doing so.

"I see our wolves are safe," Hawk noted.

"Well, for now, at least," Taku sighed. "Look, Hawk, there's something you need to see."

Makasa had turned around and was now eyeing the new five teenagers warily. Taku smiled gently and motioned her over.

"It's ok, Makasa. Come here. These are the nice people I told you about."

She took close to Taku's side and morphed, instantly clutching his arm when she was fully changed.

"Shut the fuck up," Sara breathed, her confused and astonished face frozen in stone as she watched the young girl before her.

"Well, that's new, isn't it?" Danny managed to say, watching her every movement as well. "Oh dear lord, that's…well that's something."

The other three were just too astonished to speak.

"A shape-shifter? That's not green?" Moonfire finally managed to spit out. "Wow, I thought Beast Boy was just a freak coincidence but…oh, wow, a real-life werewolf!" she squealed. "That is too cool!"

"What's your name, sweetie?" Kyle asked gently.

"You may call me Makasa," she told them, her voice soft and unsure. "I am…not werewolf. I am shape-shifter."

The other five recognized her broken English as well.

"How long have you been a wolf?" Clara asked. "Your English, it's not too great."

"I rarely am human. I stay wolf, I stay with pack. I am the leader," she informed them.

"Come on, it's getting dark out. Let's get her back to the tower and we can question her there," Hawk suggested. "Kim, can you carry her?" He then turned to Makasa after getting a confident nod. "Is it alright if Kimi here, Moonfire, whatever you want to call her, flies you back to our home?"

Makasa looked rather apprehensive of Moonfire's outstretched hand, but after Taku telling her it was quite safe, wrapped it in her own.

"Oh, whoa," Moonfire breathed. "Strong grip you've got there."

The girl blushed but said nothing as Moonfire lifted her in the air, back towards the safety of Titans Tower.

**TT2**


End file.
